


Your Personal Assistant

by Owlfawn



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, NOW FINISHED!, Self-Insert, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, also this is entirely self indulgent im so sorry, enjoy pls thanks oof, i just love reading these and felt i needed to do my part, plus i had this idea for a while, this is going to get sad before it gets cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2019-07-12 11:22:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 25,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15994157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Owlfawn/pseuds/Owlfawn
Summary: You've been hired on at the Game Grumps office to be their new personal assistant. However, you can't help but wonder why a certain goofy, curly-haired musician has captured so much of your attention. Hopefully, this new job won't be too difficult...Soulmate AU Where everyone has a matching symbol somewhere on their body as their Soulmate.





	1. Welcome to the Team

**Author's Note:**

> This is entirely self indulgent and I hope you all like it :') Eventual smut when things get spicy.

Your phone alarm rang at full volume, a purposeful setting done by yourself the previous night to ensure that you awoke on time. It was a big day, one that was circled in your planner and marked on your google calendar for over a month now. After an email, a job application, a phone interview, a Facetime interview, and another phone conversation, you had gotten a job working as a personal assistant for an office. The man who had been in charge of the hiring process, Brent, had been kind and quick about sending the proper paperwork. Once that was finished, the hard part came. 

You moved from your suburb home town just outside of San Diego and headed for Los Angeles, a shanty apartment waiting for you to call it home. You didn’t have much to bring with you, seeing as taking anything major like a coffee maker would have left your parents without their morning coffee. You had enough to make the place liveable, and that was enough for you. 

The alarm continued to ring and you reached over to silence it, groaning as you shifted from your comfortable sleeping position. Slowly but surely, you rose and headed for the bathroom, located just outside of your bedroom to the left. A hot shower woke you up and prepared you for the fresh beginning you were about to embark on. After drying your hair out, you got dressed in a crisp white blouse and a tan pencil skirt, wanting to look professional as possible. Some nude heels completed the look and after doing enough makeup to look presentable, you tied your hair up into a bun and headed out the door, purse with all necessities swinging on your arm.

Brent had sent you directions to the office and you were glad to have made it there without any major traffic or confusion. You parked your car and took one last look in the reflection off of the side of your car before heading inside. You entered the code Brent had given you into the keypad on the interior door, a soft buzzing letting you know that you could pass. You pushed through and continued to the lobby of the office building, looking at the directory. 

Suite 1101: GameGrumps Offices

There it was. You looked to the provided map next to the directory and traced a line with your finger from your current place in the lobby to the correct office. Route in mind, you headed down the hallway and scanned the plaques on the doors. As you continued to walk, you scratched the right side of your ribs over your blouse. The spot where that mark was had always been on the backburner of your mind. Your parents had emphasized not prioritizing the chance of finding the person with the matching mark: a crescent moon with a six-pointed star in the empty space within it. They had encouraged, instead, that you focus on becoming a good person with goals and ambitions aside of worrying about a soulmate. “Live life, have some fun,” your mother had advised. 

You stopped scratching and stood in front of Suite 1101. After a deep inhale and exhale, you shook off your nerves and opened the door. Immediately, you were surprised by the amount of video-game-related paraphernalia around the place. The front room was decorated more plainly, a few shelves housing awards was one of the few things on the wall. A man with thick, black facial hair rounded the corner and spotted you, then smiled and approached. 

“Hey, you must be [Name]. It’s nice to finally have you here with us. Everything go smoothly?” He extended his hand for a handshake, which you returned politely. 

“Yeah, everything went just fine. All moved in, and everything.” 

“That’s good to hear. I’m glad we got all of the paperwork out of the way. We can get right to the tour and introductions, if you want?”

“That’d be great, actually. I’m excited to just get started. I like the decor of the place already.”

“Oh,” Brent gave a short laugh. “Thanks. It took some time but we really got the space to where we wanted it.” He nodded his head and gestured for you to follow him. “Come on, let’s get started.” He headed to the next room and slowly walked down the hallway. “So we’ve got the offices here. They’re all decorated according to whoever uses that desk, so you might find it easier to remember where to go by that.”

He continued walking down the hall, pointing to different places as he mentioned them. “That one’s my office. I designed it after a ramen shop. Over here is the bathroom, and over here is the bar. If someone wants a fancy drink or some fancy snacks, that where it’ll be.” He continued further, nodding his head to a more solitary and plain room. “This is the meeting room. Good idea to remember this one the most.” Brent lead you further and you passed through a long, well-lit display hall. “This is Arin’s big hallway of toys. You won’t knock one over as easily as you think.” 

At the end of the hallway was another room with plenty of people in it, all sitting at various work desks. “This is the desk space, so everyone is usually in here working on stuff,” Brent said as you two stepped into the room, many of the heads turning to see you both enter. “Hey, guys, this is our new personal assistant.” He gestured to you, as though to say, “Take it away!”

“Hello, everyone.” You gave a sheepish wave, other hand clenching you purse. “I’m [Name]. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

A man with short brown hair and a slight accent in his voice spoke up first. “Nice to meet you, [Name]. I’ve gotta get back to drawing, but we can chat later.” He turned back to his desk, sketching things out on some paper. Seemed like he’d be too busy to ask for a lot, which was nice for you.

A woman with tattoos and intense eyeliner gave a wave back to you, smiling. “I’m Suzy. It’s nice to meet you, [Name]. Let me know if you ever need to take a break for a bit. We can go eat, since someone got banned from the nice place down the street.” She gave a pointed look to the person behind her. 

“Hey, not my fault! Ryan left his sandal there and he’s got nasty feet!”

Ryan spoke up from the other desk. “I wash my feet just fine, thanks! You didn’t even go get it for me. So typical, Matt.”

Suzy rolled her eyes at them as they began to bicker back and forth and smiled reassuringly at you. Brent gave a wave to everyone before gesturing for you to keep going. You both went around the corner down a hallway again, then another corner, and were in a new hallway. 

“So the mailboxes were on the other wall back there by the desk space. Everyone’s mail is there and there’s usually something in each box every day.” When you had passed it, there were most definitely more toys and drawings than letters. What kind of business was this place? It had said “Video Game Development” on the application, but this was pretty different from what you were expecting. “We have some merch and stuff, two more bathrooms right here,” Brent continued, leading you past each area.”And then go in through here and you have the kitchen. Some people like to hang out here.” At the moment, though, only the two of you stood in it. 

“We might have you go grab groceries or something at some point, so you would bring them back here.” You nodded to him, making a mental note. The two of you continued through the room and stopped in a larger space, various arcade game systems around the room. “This is kind of a more fun area. Barry’s office is right here.” He popped his head into the room where another bearded man sat at a desk. “Hey, Barry, this is our personal assistant [Name].”

“Oh, hey, nice to meet you. Hope no one bosses you around too much.” He gave a polite smile and wave, just as Suzy had, and you returned the salutation. 

“Nice to meet you too, Barry.” 

Brent continued the tour, taking you to another couple of office rooms, then he lead you back through the second toy hallway and past the comfortable lounging area to another set of rooms. One room held a ton of clutter, mostly just random stored objects with no permanent home, and a desk with a recording system. “So this room over here is where we record videos for our Youtube channel. Looks like no one is recording, but I think Dan is in here.” He opened the door to the adjacent room and popped his head in. “Hey bud, I’m coming in.” 

He opened the door and you followed him inside, a man with poofy, curly hair lying on the couch looking up at you as you came in. He sat up with a groan and looked at you, then at Brent. 

“Hey, Dan, this is our new personal assistant, [Name]. If you need her to grab anything for you or run an errand, just let her know.” 

“It’s nice to meet you, Dan.” You held out your hand with a polite smile, hoping to make a pleasant expression despite your ribs starting to itch again. It was rather annoying, the way your skin tingled. 

“Nice to meet you, too! You can call me Dan or Danny. Doesn’t matter either way.” He reached out and shook your hand, his larger one encompassing yours. “Geez, you’ve got tiny hands.”

“I think yours are just really big, actually.” You chuckled and shrugged your shoulders. 

“Alright, the only person you haven’t met is the other crew members who do all of the behind-the-scenes stuff, but they’re always running around here and there. We’ve also got Vernon, but he’s working on something so we won’t bug him.”

“Oh, more Dream Daddy stuff?” Danny raised his brows as he asked. 

“I dunno. Probably.” Brent shrugged and gestured for you to follow him out of the room. “Anyways, just get yourself acquainted with the office and see if anyone needs anything. Don’t worry about going on any errands or anything today. Come check back in at my office at around five o’clock, alright? Don’t forget to take an hour lunch later.” 

You followed Brent out of the room, giving one more wave to Danny before nodding your head at the given instructions. Brent gave you a reassuring pat on the shoulder and thumbs up before heading off to his office to get his own work done, leaving you standing in the empty room, your hands tightening on the strap of your bag as nervousness began to bubble up in your chest again.


	2. Seen, But Not Heard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You discover something important, but keep it to yourself. Perhaps it might be a good idea, or it could be the worst decision of your life. Only time would tell, wouldn't it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope anyone who is reading this is enjoying it. Give a kudos if you're into it. I'm writing this mostly for fun, but it's nice to know if others are enjoying it as well! Sorry for inserting opinions in for you as a reader in this chapter lol. (Note: edited some weird words and misspellings).

Danny made his way out of the recording room to head for the kitchen, stopping when he spotted you simply standing around. 

“Do you wanna set your purse down, or something?” he asked, brown eyes looking at the bag you’ve been clutching the entire time. 

“Oh!” You looked down at it too before feeling embarrassed and nodded. “Actually, yeah. Do you know where I can?” 

Danny hummed in thought for a moment, then shrugged. “I mean, you could probably just huck it anywhere you wanted and it’d be fine. No one’s gonna jack your stuff, pretty sure.” He smiled, and you felt reassured. After glancing around for a good spot, you walked over to the lounging couch and set it on the cushion, resting against a decorative pillow. “Nice choice. So, how do you like the place?”

“It’s… unique. I’ll give it that.” You looked around the room again, eyeing the small details put in here and there. “It’s kind of a labyrinth, actually. I might get lost this week.” You turned to Dan with a serious, grave expression. “If you don’t see me for more than four hours, I might have starved to death and died.”

“Good to know. We’ll put up missing person signs when that happens.” Danny laughed and nodded his head towards the kitchen. “I’m about to grab some water. Want anything?”

“Shouldn’t that be my question, seeing as I’m the personal assistant?” you asked, a brow quirked. 

“Ah, shit, you’re right. That’s gonna take some getting used to.”

“Don’t worry about it. Think of this as my training.” You smiled and walked past him into the kitchen, reaching the refrigerator and opening it. There were a wide array of beverages, most of which were sparkling water and diet coke. “Did you want La Croix or San Pellegrino?”

“San Pellegrino, please. Just the plain one, if we have it.”

“Got it.” You reached for the green bottle and took it out of the fridge, making a mental note to supply it with some juice or something at another time. You brought Dan the drink, cracking it open and handing it over to him. 

“Thanks, [Name]. You didn’t grab anything for yourself?”  


“Nah. I don’t really like sparkling water that much.” You crinkled your nose as you watched him take a sip. 

“It’s an acquired taste, I think. That sounds kind of douchey, but it’s true.” 

“Hey, to each their own.” You shrugged, smiling. 

“So then, what do you like to drink?”

“Hmm, I dunno. I kinda like sweeter stuff, like Calpico.”

“What the heck is that?” 

“Well, it’s called a non-carbonated soft drink? At least, that’s what it says on the bottle… They’ve got different flavors though, like strawberry and peach. They’re really good. I’ll have to buy some for the fridge sometime.”

“Definitely. I wanna try it.” He gave you a beaming smile and you couldn’t help but reciprocate. Though his smile was cut short and it shifted to a look of discomfort. “Man, my leg is super itchy. I think I got a bug bite or something.”

“Really? Do we have anti-itch cream in the office?”

“That’s a super good question. Uh…” He reached down to scratch his leg over his jeans and sighed. “I don’t think we do. Maybe we can ask Suzy?”

“On it. I’ll be right back, hopefully.” You hurried off, heels clicking against the wood flooring as you tried to navigate your way to the desk space where you had last seen Suzy. You made a wrong turn only once, popping into an empty room before finally finding your way to the desk space. “Hey, Suzy, do you guys have any anti-itch cream? Dan says he’s got a bug bite.”

“Oh, he’s so lucky I brought some in my purse!” She immediately dove into her bag under her desk, retrieving the small tube and tossing it towards you. You nearly dropped it, fumbling for it in your hands before securely holding it.

“Thanks, Suzy! You’re the best!”

“No, you!”

You chuckled and hurried back to the other room, only to see that Dan had moved over to the couches to relax. He looked up as he heard your heels on the floor and smiled at the sight of you. You came over and sat down on the coffee table, crossing your ankles politely and held the anti-itch cream out to him. 

“Here you go. Suzy had some in her purse.” 

“Can always rely on Scuze to have what I need.” Dan chuckled and took the cream, murmuring a quick thanks before pulling his pant leg up. You looked down out of curiosity to see just how bad the bug bite could be, but your breath hitched and your entire body tensed up when you spotted something on his leg. 

There, hidden underneath some leg hair, was the same crescent moon with the six-pointed star that marked your rib cage. Dan looked at it, perplexed, and ran his hand over it. 

“Huh, so that’s what’s been itching. Guess it isn’t a bug bite, unless a bug bit me on my mark.” Danny shrugged his shoulders and looked over at you to hand back the cream, but paused when he noticed your sudden change in demeanor. “Woah, you okay? It’s just a Soul Mark. Everyone’s got one.” He chuckled. 

“Ah- Um, yeah. Sorry, my uh… My family was really weird about Soul Marks. I haven’t seen another person’s up close, I guess.” The lie escaped you so easily.

“Oh, that makes sense. Well, it’s nothing too crazy, huh? What’s yours?”

“Oh--” You suddenly felt self-conscious and began to feel your heart race in your chest, beating against your ribs. Do you tell him? Weren’t you supposed to just know when it was your soulmate? How come there isn't fireworks? A light show? “It’s in a uh, weird spot. Can’t see it that well.” 

“Oh! Ha, gotcha. No problem. Arin’s is on his butt. It’s pretty funny.”

“You’ve seen it?” you asked, a brow quirked. 

“No! He just told me.” Danny laughed and you suddenly appreciated the sound of it more. “He and Suzy are soulmates. Ross thought he met his, but it didn't work out. Pretty sure Barry has, but he doesn’t talk about her at work much. I dunno about Matt and Ryan, or Vernon and Brent. I don’t bug ‘em about it.” 

“Makes sense.” You nodded. You, too, didn’t bother asking people about theirs. They usually told you about them without even being asked, so it worked out just fine. “Have you met yours?” You knew the answer, and yet you asked anyways. Why were you lying?

“Nope, not yet. I dunno, I don’t let it run my life, I guess. Makes life a little easier and a lot more fun, don’t you think?”

“I definitely agree. That’s what my parents always told me.” 

“They sound like rad as fuck parents, then.”

“Oh, they definitely are.” You couldn’t help but feel a little more at ease. He hadn’t suspected a thing and you didn’t want to just come out and blurt out that you were his soulmate. So, this would have to remain a secret. At least, for now. “Anyways, I should go give this back to Suzy.” You took the itch cream and stood up, casting one last look to Danny. “Holler if you need me, I guess?” You smiled and walked back to the desk space, forcing yourself not to look back again. 

You handed the cream back to Suzy, who had you sit down with her and help her pick which photos to post onto her Instagram before delving into asking questions about your life. You two chatted for a while before Arin came by and asked you to sort some mail into the mailboxes. You nodded and bid a “See you later” to Suzy before taking the box of mail items and headed for the boxes. After sorting it all, chuckling when you saw some knitted dolls of some of the people in the office, you found yourself without a chore once again. Now was as good a time as any to explore, right?

You made your way back to the front of the entire office and worked your way through the tour again, naming off rooms and their purposes as you went. No one really asked you to do anything, except for Barry who asked you to bring him a cup of coffee, and you were left to wander the office in search of something to do. When you spotted Dan a few hours later, he was sitting with a laptop and headphones working on something. You decided not to bother him and made your way back to the couch where your purse was. 

Your phone didn’t have any major notifications. You had a few Youtube suggestions, an email from a magazine you don’t get anymore, some news articles from your New York Times app, and a text from your mom, as she sent one every day. You sent her a quick message to reassure her that your first day of work was going well, then tossed your phone back into your purse and decided that now was as good a time as any to take that break Brent had told you to take. 

You went into the kitchen and searched a cabinet for something to snack on, humming as you looked around the shelves. You spotted a granola bar and grabbed it, not caring much about the flavor and headed back to the couch, plopping down into it and reveling in how comfortable it was. If all of the couches were like this, you couldn’t blame Dan for lounging in the one in the recording room. Others passed by as you ate your granola bar and read a magazine from the shelf, waving and saying hello as they went. 

You had been reading an article about the company when you felt the couch shift as someone sat next to you. Dan had flopped into the couch in a similar fashion as you had earlier, heaving a heavy sigh. When you simply looked at him without a word, he let out an even more dramatic, faked sigh. 

“Um… Are you alright, Danny?”

“Oh, just horrible.” 

“Well, what happened?”

“I was typing something and then my laptop died so it didn’t save.” 

“Oooh… Well, that’s very unfortunate. Were you using Google or a Word document?”

“Word document.”

“Ah, even worse. Google at least saves everything automatically. I’m sorry that it happened, Dan. How can I make it better?”

“Aren’t you on your break?”

“Actually, yes. So, how can I make it better in,” You looked at your watch. “Twenty-two minutes?”

“Well, in twenty-two minutes you can…” Dan thought about it for a second before coming to a decision. “You can tell me about yourself. I feel kinda weird just bossing you around for stuff, even if it is your job. I’d feel better about it if I knew more about you, I think.”

“I can do that now, if you really want.”

“Pretty sure it’s illegal to make you work on your lunch break.”

“Fine, I’ll tell you in twenty-one minutes.” 

The two of you smiled at one another, and you went back to eating your granola bar and reading the magazine in your lap. Danny continued to lounge about on the couch, humming tunes to himself. You had to admit that he had a wonderful voice, even if he were only humming. Finally, your break was up and you put the magazine back and tossed your wrapper in the trash before sitting back down on the couch. 

“Alright, what do you want to know?”

“Let’s start with where you were born.”

“I was born in San Diego. Well, near it, anyways. Raised in the same town and lived there up until last month.” 

Dan let out a long whistle. “Damn, California girl huh? Alright, uh, any siblings?”

“Nope, an only child. Pretty sweet if you ask me.”

“Interesting, interesting. Alright, next question: favorite food?”

“Hmm…” You thought about it for a few seconds as you weighed your choices. “Thai, I think. It’s pretty good. I always like what I get when I eat at Thai places.”

“Woah, nice choice. Me too!” Danny grinned, then shifted in his seat. “Alright, favorite band?”

“That’s an even tougher one…” You crossed one leg over the other and leaned back, crossing your arms over your chest. “Well, I grew up listening to a lot of eighties and nineties music. I don’t really know if I have a favorite.” 

“You gotta pick one!”

“Fine, fine… Queen.” 

“Queen! Top notch choice, [Name].” Him saying your name sent a jolt of electricity through you, but you tried to ignore it. “Alright, favorite color?”

“Easy, blue.” You held out your hand to show off the light blue nail polish on your manicured hand. “Specifically, this shade.”

“No way!” He reached out and grabbed your hand, leaning in closer to get a better look. “That’s awesome! That’s my favorite color, too!” He let your hand go and the heat of his touch lingered momentarily, but burned into your memory. “Alright, I feel better now. I can totally boss you around without feeling bad now.”

“Glad you feel that way.” You rolled your eyes, but smiled. As long as he felt comfortable around you, that was what mattered. “I’d better go make my rounds again and see if anyone needs anything. Unless… You need anything?”

“Nope, I’ll boss you around later.” He waved you off with a laugh. “Have fun.”

“Will do. See you around, Danny.”

“See you around, [Name].” 

The rest of the work day was spent doing little errands around the office with little to no difficulty, the only problem arising was you getting a little bit lost here and there. Everyone was nice and patient with you, which was refreshing compared to your previous job as a waitress where everything was hustle and bustle with no kindness to spare. Five o’clock hit and you went to Brent, who had you finish a few more pieces of paperwork before telling you that you could head home for the day. You thanked him again for the job opportunity and headed out, feeling like you’d stepped off of another planet and back onto Earth once you were back in the hallway. 

Somehow, the world seemed quieter outside of the Game Grumps office. You headed home and felt yourself heave a long and loud sigh of relief once you were inside your apartment. You tossed your purse to the couch and kicked off your heels, the comfort of barefootedness immediate. You collapsed onto your couch and stared up at the ceiling. 

You met your soulmate today. The fact alone was enough to make your anxiety flare up. Perhaps that was why you hadn’t said anything to Danny. He seemed to be such a genuine, fun, and kind person. Why would he want his soulmate to be someone like you? Negative thoughts began to pick at your skin and insides and you forced yourself off of the couch and to the bathroom to take a hot shower. You pulled your hair out of its bun and began to strip after turning the water on. Standing bare in the mirror, you turned to the side and lifted your arm to look at your Soul Mark, running your fingers over it. As usual and always, it didn’t smudge. Now that Dan had revealed his, you wondered what his reaction would be upon seeing yours. Thankfully, your Soul Mark was in an easily hidden location. You could keep this secret, yet. 

You got into the shower and washed away the day from your skin, then sat on your couch and watched some television before sleep threatened to take you in the living room. Everything got situated in terms of charging your phone and setting alarms, and you crawled into bed, Danny’s humming being a lullaby for you as you drifted off.


	3. Don't Be So Stiff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that you've had a few months under the belt at the Game Grumps office, you're being urged to relax a little. After a dinner with some of the Grumps, perhaps some change is in order for the sake of appeasing Danny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hot diggity dang thanks for all the readers. I'm glad you guys are liking this. Leave a kudos if you're really digging it, or leave a comment so you can let me know you're vibing with it. Thanks, again! 
> 
> Note: Edited some things here and there because a certain someone formerly associate with the grumps is a garbage person.

A couple of months had gone by and you’d discovered that working as the personal assistant for the Game Grumps office was, while a lot of fun, still a demanding job. You were sent on plenty of errands both in and out of the office space, which also gave you a chance to explore the area around the office and the city. Thankfully, you had a GPS system in your car and it had saved your life more than once. 

You’d also gotten to know everyone in the office pretty well, enough to call them more than just coworkers or bosses. They were absolutely your friends, and several of them had told you just as much. Suzy, especially, considered you a friend and you two often spent your breaks chatting about fashion and hobbies. Her taxidermy hobby had, at first, squicked you out, but after hearing her talk so passionately about it, you couldn’t help but learn to like it too. She even gifted you a framed butterfly, which you hung up in your tiny apartment to, rather ironically, give the place some life. 

Life as an employee of the Game Grumps office had come to suit you well. You knew your way around the maze of an office now, having bustled around it a million times already. You had also garnered a good sense of who would be where most often, depending on the tasks of the office at the time. You also spent some time researching just what exactly the company did, and found yourself quickly becoming a fan of their work. Once you got home, you’d put on a new episode you haven’t watched on your computer and listen to Arin and Danny crack jokes. It was a nice way to fill the silence of living alone. 

Brent had insisted that you didn’t need to dress so formally every day, he having noticed your wardrobe of pencil skirts, slacks, and professional blouses. However, you found it a bit difficult to search for something that was casual but still made you seem put together. Presentation was everything in this line of work, and you wanted to come across as someone who had their shit together. Jeans and a tee shirt didn’t always put that message on the table. So, you stuck to your usual attire when you were at work and no one ever bugged you about it. You even got a few compliments from Suzy and Ross on the different blouses you wore. Suzy called them, “gothic chic,” while Ross referred to them as, “pretty cool.” Either way, you liked it. 

The rest of the guys in the office were kind as well. You were introduced to Brian your second day at the office, and you got a brief summary of the work he does with Danny as a band. You’d even listened to their music when you got home that day and found yourself laughing at the ridiculous lyrics or marveling at the sound of their cover songs. Danny’s voice was, just as you had learned on the day you met him, angelic. 

You still had yet to say anything about your matching symbols with Dan. You hadn’t mentioned it to anyone, actually, and you were surprised that it hadn’t eaten you up inside yet. You found yourself falling for the little things about Dan as time went on, though. His smile, the way he looked with stubble, when he tied his hair back, his goofy demeanor, his strange thumbs, the way he wore those baggy-looking jeans, and so many more things you found to be admirable. And yet, you did everything in your power to make these feelings unknown. The voice in the back of your head whispered to you constantly, reminding you that you would only hold him back. He was a rock star on the rise, and didn’t need the office’s personal assistant to bring him down. 

As you walked into work that day, donning a black pair of slacks, a black blouse with loose sleeves, white heels and a white belt, you checked in with Brent before going about setting your bag in the back room, waving to everyone as you passed by. Instead of a bun, as you normally styled your hair since you started, you wore your hair down and let it flow freely. Hopefully, it wouldn’t get in the way. 

You made it to the lounging couches and you set your purse in the same place as usual. Danny and Arin were both in the recording room, Arin easily heard yelling and Dan heard laughing hysterically. You shook your head, but a smile played on your lips as you put your phone into your back pocket and headed for the mailboxes to deliver everyone’s items. The chore took only an hour and once you were done, you found yourself standing idle as you waited for someone to need your help. 

You popped into everyone’s offices or by their desk, making sure everyone had everything they needed. Some people asked for a drink, which you quickly brought back to them, but most everyone said that they were fine. There was definitely a lazy vibe in the air and everyone seemed rather sluggish. Perhaps it was the fact that it was a Friday that left everyone dragging their feet. You, however, kept that spring in your step as you made your rounds once again. 

After another hour, Arin and Danny came out of the Grump Room and Suzy took her turn in the recording booth. You waved at both of the men who came into the lounging area and they returned the greeting. 

“How was recording? Which game are you playing?” 

“We’re playing the new Spiderman game. Arin is doing too much goofing around and then getting mad when we have to actually do missions.” Danny was still recovering from a fit of the giggles and Arin rolled his eyes. 

“Whatever! I just think it’s more fun to swing around and do finger-guns at pedestrians, but sure let’s go save the city or whatever.” He folded his arms across his chest in moody defiance. 

“Well, it sounds like you’re just having a great time.” You chuckled and shook your head. “Did you guys need anything? I’ve been kind of bored.”

“Oh, lemme see what time it is…” Arin pulled out his phone from his pocket and checked the time. “Well, it’s almost five, so we can head out of here soon if everyone is finished. Did you want to come with us to go eat? We’re going to a restaurant we dig.”

“That’d be nice. I haven’t really gone out since I moved here, so I want to see where some good places are.” 

“What?! Then, this is perfect! It’s not super fancy so you’re probably overdressed, but that’s okay!” Danny laughed, his own attire consisting of a Rush tee shirt and those baggy jeans you’d thought about earlier. “Your shirt is really cool.”

“Really?” You looked down at your flowing blouse. “Thanks. Suzy calls it my Supreme shirt, but I don’t really get it. I can’t tell if she means like, the head of a witch coven or the douchey clothing brand.”

“Probably the first one,” Arin deadpanned. It was the obvious answer, but you could never be too sure. “Anyways, I hope you like sushi, because that’s where we’re going.”

You crinkled your nose and shook your head. “Actually, I don’t. I’m not a huge fish fan, but I’m sure they’ve got other stuff on the menu. They always do.” 

“Alright, that’s fine. It’ll just be fun to have you there.” Arin gave you a pat on the shoulder, then headed off towards his office, mumbling something about having to check an email. You turned to Dan, who was looking at you with his brows furrowed as though he were deep in thought. 

“Uh, Dan?” You waved your hand in front of his face and he relaxed his expression, but there was still a hint of something in his eyes. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just don’t want you forcing yourself to go somewhere you won’t like just to make us happy. I could see if we could eat somewhere else, if you want?”

“No, no! It’s okay, really. I think it’d be really fun to go out to eat with you guys, and sushi places always have other options on the menu. Don’t worry about me, really.” You reached over and gave him a gentle pat on the arm, hoping to reassure him. His expression shifted into a calmer smile and the tension seemed to melt from him. Your Soul Mark tingled and you withdrew your hand back to your person. “A-Anyways, do you need anything right now? I finally bought some Calpico, if you want to try it.”

“Oh, hell yeah!” He perked up, his brown eyes sparkling with excitement. You couldn’t help but giggle at his sudden change in demeanor and you waved for him to follow you to the kitchen. Once there, you got out a bottle of the white-peach flavored Calpico, then handed it over to him. 

“Here,” You turned it upside down and then back upright before handing it over to him. “This one is peach flavored. It’s my favorite one.” He took the bottle from you, the small container seeming even tinier is his large hands, and he brought it to his lips to take a sip. 

“Woah, it’s sweeter than I thought. It kinda looks like milk, so I was expecting like, milk taste. Totally different.” He shrugged his shoulders. “It’s good, though. I dig it.” He smiled at you, which sent a jolt of electricity through you. “Thanks, [Name].”

“No problem, Danny.”

“By the way, your hair looks nice today. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it down.”

“No, you have not. I always wear it up, but this outfit looks better when my hair down.”

Dan looked you up and down unabashedly and you felt heat rise to your cheeks. “Yeah, I agree,” he said as he nodded in approval. You felt embarrassed by his eyes on you and he suddenly got the hint, his entire body language changing and becoming more rigid. “S-Sorry.”

“It’s alright. Anyways, enjoy the drink. I’m gonna go check on everyone one more time before the day is up. See you later, Danny.” You smiled at him and gave a small, shy wave before heading down the hall, a sigh escaping you as you felt your anxiety cold in the pit of your stomach. Why was he staring at you like that? Did you look weird? You stopped by the bathroom and looked at yourself in the mirror. No, you looked fine. You reminded yourself of your affirmations and took a deep breath before going about your work again. 

Five o’clock came quickly and everyone had grabbed their things, heading out of the office. You all filtered into the parking lot and Arin gave you the address of the sushi joint. You punched it into your GPS and agreed to meet everyone there. After a quick fifteen minutes of driving, you all rendezvoused at the restaurant and headed inside. A few people decided to head home right after work, leaving you, Arin, Suzy, Danny, and Barry in a booth. You sat with Suzy on one side, forcing the boys to all squeeze together. 

“So, [Name], how are you liking working at the Grump Office?” Suzy asked, resting her tattooed elbow on the table as she looked towards you. 

“It’s really great, honestly. I used to be a waitress, so everyone is so nice compared to my old work.” You chuckled, then continued. “I really like working with you guys. It’s a lot of fun. Thank you for being so cool, guys.” 

“No, thank you for being such an awesome PA. You’re always making sure everyone has what they need and doing the stuff we don’t have time for. It’s a real weight off our shoulders.” Arin gave you a smile from across the table. Having both Suzy and Arin being so kind to you made it feel like you had your parents with you still, which was pretty comforting. You returned the smile just as the waiter came by to take the table’s order. 

You ordered some potstickers, fried rather than steamed so that you could enjoy the crispy exterior the style of cooking brought, as well as a small bowl of miso soup. Just as you had reassured Danny, there was an option for you. When you looked across the table, Dan seemed to have a relieved air about him after you had ordered, and it made you smile to yourself from behind your menu. The waiter finished the order for the table and took the menus, then headed off. 

“So,” you started, folding your hands together in your lap. “I want you guys to be honest. How am I doing? Are there any things you want me to do or not do?” You had stayed up a few nights these last few months over-analyzing all of the things you’ve done thus far, wondering if any one thing you’d done was enough to bug any of your coworkers. 

“No way! You’re doing great.” Barry spoke up first and he smiled at you. “You’re a huge help, especially bringing me my coffee or tea when I’m stuck at my desk.” 

“Yeah, and you always bring me water after we record because I just trash my voice.” Arin spoke next, giving you a thumbs up. “It’s awesome, and it helps.”

“You’re doing an amazing job, [Name]. We also definitely need to go shopping together, by the way. I wanna know where you got this shirt!” Suzy reached over to play with the loose fabric of your sleeve. You chuckled and waved it around like a wing. 

“I mean there’s one thing you could do.” Everyone turned to look at Dan, who had spoken up. There was a sense of confusion among everyone at the table, and that cold feeling in your stomach began to feel particularly icy. “You could stop dressing so fancy all the time! I feel like you’re always trying to distance yourself, or something. I mean, this is the first time you’ve come with us to dinner, too!” 

You felt your shoulders relax and the tension melt from them. So, you hadn’t pissed him off by being annoying or something. That was good. You shrugged your shoulders, crossing one leg over the other. “I don’t know. I always feel like I have to look super professional since I’m a PA. I’d feel weird if I just showed up in my casual clothes.”

“You have casual clothes? You mean you don’t sleep in that?” Arin joked, earning him a look from Suzy. He still laughed at his own joke, though. 

“Very funny, but yes, I do have clothes besides office-wear.” You sighed and leaned back in your booth seat. “Maybe on Monday I’ll wear casual clothes? See how it goes?” 

“Sounds like a deal. Try it out. We want you to be comfortable at work, alright?” Danny gave you a gentle expression, one laced with soft worry about pushing his opinion too hard. You nodded, and he smiled. You wish you could have taken a picture of his face at that moment. 

The rest of the dinner went by with ease, making casual conversation and jokes throughout the meal. Once you’d finished (and Danny paid for your part of the meal, despite your protests), you all went your separate ways and you headed home. Once inside of your apartment, you sat on your couch and heard your phone buzz. You dug it out of your purse and read the text message from Danny. 

[Home safe?]

[Yup! Thanks for checking in, and for paying for dinner. I owe you.]

[Don’t worry about it. See you on Monday! Don’t forget to be chill as fuck.]

[A deal is a deal. Get ready for maximum comfort and minimal effort on my part.]

[Can’t wait. Goodnight.]

[Goodnight.]

You sighed and got ready for bed, glad to have the weekends off from work. No alarm was set and you climbed into your sheets, laying on your back. The Los Angeles heat had forced you to discard your blanket to the floor, and one leg hung outside of the sheets. It was a perfect balance, and within an instant you were asleep.


	4. Casual Mondays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You show up to work in your casual clothes to see what the office has to say about it. After work, Dan invites you to go somewhere with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if this chapter is shitty or short i got wine drunk when i wrote this one and its 1:30am when im posting this oof

The weekend came and went and Monday morning reared its head in your direction, your promise to Danny weighing heavy on your mind as you stood in front of your dresser that morning. You had always been adamant about wearing specific attire to convey certain personas. When you were at work, you wanted to appear professional and like, well, like an adult. Now, though, you were about to wear a casual outfit to work and throw your own rules out the window. 

You pulled out a black strapless top and pulled it on with a pair of black jean shorts, then pulled on a green flannel. There were certain things about your body that revealed your teenage and early twenties years of freedom. For one, your nipples were pierced with bars that easily presented themselves in this tube top. After some contemplation, you decided to put on a strapless bra to hide them. Best not to show that at work, even if they wanted casual. A small tattoo of a semicolon was on your back right shoulder, a tribute to some rough years during high school. Thankfully, your Soul Mark remained hidden under the strapless top, the fabric reaching the hem of your shorts. 

You decided to leave your hair down, for casualty more than the desire to hear Dan compliment it again. Certainly not that. With one last glance in the mirror after doing some light makeup, you sighed at your appearance and headed for work. You beat-up Vans felt strange on your feet as you walked the familiar hallway. 

You took a deep breath before heading into work, clutching the strap of your purse. Thankfully, no one was loitering around the front area. You popped in quickly to say hello to Brent, who was too focused on his computer to see you. He only offered a verbal response and you continued. Arin was in his office and you poked your head in. 

“Morning, Arin.”

“Hey [Na]-” He stopped short when he looked up to greet you and he grinned. “Hey, nice outfit. Now you look like you work here and not at like, a bank.” You laughed, feeling your nerves dissolve at his cheerful attitude. 

“Thanks, Arin. I’m gonna make my rounds. See you later.” He gave a wave and you headed towards the desk space where Suzy sat, hard at work. “Hey Suzy,” you called to her and she looked up at you, then immediately beamed. 

“Aw, you look so cute! Let’s take a picture later.” 

“Alright. Where is everyone?” The desk space was rather empty, normally being occupied by nearly everyone. 

“Oh, I think they’re recording or editing. Everyone’s pretty busy today, I think.” 

“Gotcha. I’ll stop by everyone’s areas to say good morning. See you in a bit!”

“See you!” 

Suzy went straight back to work and you made your way down the toy hall and towards the back room to leave your purse on the couch. Sure enough, you could hear Danny in the recording room. Brian was seated on the lounge couch with his laptop and headphones occupying his attention. You set your purse down gently, so as not to disturb him, then headed towards the editing room to say hi to Matt and Ryan. 

“Hey, cool look. Oh, can you bring me some coffee? I’ve been here since like, six in the morning.” Ryan gave you a look that was practically begging for caffeine. You nodded and gave a wave to Matt, who gave a quick wave in response as he worked on a video. Just as you were heading to the kitchen, Danny exited the recording room and stopped in his tracks when he spotted you, then immediately relaxed. 

“Woah, I didn’t even realize it was you!” Dan grinned and walked closer, giving you a long whistle of approval. “Excellent choice. Flannel definitely gives off that super casual vibe. Plus, it just screams 90s. I dig, I dig.”

“Thank you. I feel so weird, though.” You sighed and tucked your hands into your pockets awkwardly. “I dunno, it’s just different, I guess.”

“Well, get used to it. I think you should dress like this all the time. Everyone else here dresses super regular. You just looked a little out of place, was all. I want you to feel like you belong here, ya know?” He offered an extremely genuine smile and you could feel your heart melt at the sight of it. It took everything in you not to blame his kindness on your being soulmates, but you kept the secret locked tight. 

“I appreciate it, Dan, really. It’s just a weird thing with like, my own rule book. I always did something a certain way, and now it’s throwing everything for a loop.” You shrugged, unsure of how to explain it any further without embarrassing yourself with your own insecurities. “It’s comfortable, that’s for sure. It’s kinda nice not wearing heels for once.” You rolled your ankle around in a circle, showing off those trashed Vans you wore. 

“Yeah, you definitely got shorter.” Danny laughed and reached over to pat the top of your head. “It’s cute, though. Don’t worry about it. I’m glad you at least kinda like it. It would totally suck if you hated it and had to spend the whole day all upset about it.” 

“Yeah, that’d definitely suck.” You can’t help but laugh and appreciate the pat on the head. You craved for his hand to linger, to play with your hair, but you suppressed those feelings and buried them under your anxiety, the weight of that more than enough to weigh the desire down. “I gotta get coffee for Ryan but I’ll be right back, alright?”

Danny nodded and you hurried off to make coffee, remembering how Ryan liked it, then carefully made your way back to the editing room to drop off the java. Ryan thanked you with so much sincerity that you wondered just how sleep-deprived the guy might be. It earned him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder from you before you headed back to where Dan was. He had moved to the couch, Brian now nowhere to be found. He probably moved to the desk space, you assumed. 

“How was your weekend?” you asked as you took a seat on the couch with a respectable distance between you and Danny. 

“Nothing too crazy. This girl I was talking to wants to get together soon to hang out. I’ll probably do that this weekend, but it was nice to talk to her during the weekend.” 

You felt your skin tingle and stomach drop. So, he was seeing other women? Well, it wasn’t like he knew that you were his soulmate. He probably didn’t care about soulmates, seeing as how he was just casually dating. Jealousy and disappointment had to be shoved down beside the earlier desire and you swallowed the lump in your throat. 

“Is that so? Well, you two have fun. You think she might be your soulmate?” The question had slipped out of you and you held your breath as you awaited a response. 

“Eh, I dunno. I never really worry about it. I figure I’d find out whenever the time is right.” He turned to you with a smile. “Didn’t you say your parents did the same thing?”

“Yeah, they did.” And right now, you hated them for it. You wished you could just tell him, but now you had all the more reason not to say anything. There were stories of people refusing their soulmates for the person they were already dating. Perhaps that might be the case here. Should you start looking elsewhere for a partner? The thought of being with anyone besides Dan left a sour taste in your mouth. You wondered if those people from the stories had the same taste on their tongues. 

“Wish me luck, I guess!” Danny smiled so brightly, you felt compelled to return the expression. The topic shifted and you two chatted about other casual things, such as new and old video games, and you rose from your spot on the couch after about an hour. 

“I gotta go do some work, now. Let me know if you need anything, alright?”

“Roger that, Boss Lady.”

“You’re my boss, actually.”

“Oh, right. Uh, roger that, Lady.”

“Still sounds weird, but I’ll take it.” You chuckled and shook your head, then headed off to do your work. You tried to pile on as much as you could to distract yourself from those biting thoughts that tried to force their way to the front of your mind. By the time five o’clock rolled around, you were in a hurry to leave. However, Danny was leaving at the same time as you and you paused at the door. 

“Oh, hey [Name]! Heading out?”

“Yup. Work is over so it’s time to go back to my tiny apartment and watch tv, or something.”

“Wanna come with me to Barnes & Noble? I wanted to go just hang out and read some stuff for fun, if you wanna join me. No pressure, though.” 

“... Sure, sounds like a good time.”

“Oh, I always show a lady a good time.” You rolled your eyes but smiled at his words. That was his performer persona trickling into the regular Dan. Sexbang versus Avidan. It was always a trip to see it, but it was fun all the same. 

“Alright, let’s go then. Should I meet you there?”

“Yeah. It’s just down the road that way.” He pointed to the right direction. “Next to the Marshall’s.” 

“Got it. I saw it in passing a few times when I got groceries a couple of weeks ago.” 

“Cool, see you there, then!” 

“See you there.”


	5. Golden Hour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quiet moment in a Barnes & Noble makes everything seem alright, for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the kudos and whatnot, everyone! I really appreciate it. I've managed to map out how I want this story to go, as well as a potential sequel to this story! So, look forward to it. Again, thanks guys! (Also, congratulations to NSP for appearing on Conan. So proud c': )

You pulled up to the Barnes & Noble and sat there for a moment, hands gripping the steering wheel to give yourself a second to gather your senses. You took a deep breath in the hopes of steeling your nerves and calming your racing heart. Just because he had invited you to go to a bookstore with him did not mean a damned thing. It was important to remind yourself of such a fact. You took another deep breath, then grabbed your purse and hopped out of your car to head towards the entrance. 

Dan strode up soon after you did, hands jammed into his jean pockets, and a lopsided smile came to his face at the sight of you. Your stomach did a flip and your grip on your purse tightened, but you gave a smile back. He opened the door for you and you stepped inside, the chill of the air conditioning and the smell of books enveloping you. It sent a nostalgic thrill through you, memories of going to the bookstore as a child leaving you with a soft ache for home. 

“What kind of books do you usually read, [Name]?” Danny’s question ripped you from your trip down memory lane. 

“Oh, uh, I guess I like those slice-of-life type stuff.” You weren’t about to admit your soft spot for those cheesy teen romance novels. “Fiction is my go-to. I've always wanted to write a book, though.”

“Nice. I like the classics. Farenheit 451, Hatchet, those kinda books. You'd probably write an awesome book.” 

“Thanks, and I'm pretty sure those are all just the books we were forced to read in school.”

“Well, I was stoned like, all of high school, so when I read them as an adult it was basically for the first time.” He laughed and, while you were surprised at such an easy admittance of drug-use, you laughed too. It made you happy to know more about him, to have him be comfortable enough to speak so casually with you. 

“Well, I guess we’re both headed for the fiction section, then.” You smiled and lead the way, eyes scanning the shelves for familiar titles to lead you in the right direction. The teen romance novels beckoned you, but you managed to turn yourself away from them and stick to the more generic fiction books. “I haven’t been to a Barnes & Noble in a while. I forgot how much I liked the atmosphere here.” 

“Yeah, sometimes I just hang out here. Grab a book and chill out on one of the couches for a couple of hours. It’s just a nice, quiet place after being surrounded by loud stuff all day.”

“You mean like Arin?”

“No, not just Arin.” Dan suddenly had a look of contemplation, as though he were searching his mind for the right words to say. “I dunno. I think sometimes I just get too loud in the head, you know? Like there’s just too much going on and everyone is talking at once, but not really.” He turned to you, eyebrows raised. “Does that make sense?”

“I definitely understand. I have anxiety, too. Nothing debilitating, I’ll admit. Enough to send me to bed for a day every now and then, but not often.” You had been worse in high school, but now that you were older you had a better sense of your emotions and when to take a break from things. Dan smiled at you and reached over to pat the top of your head, ruffling it at the end before pulling his hand back. 

The two of you perused the few fiction aisles for a bit before you both settled on a book to read and made your way to the small area of couches for people to read at. It must have been a slow day for the store, as the two of you were the only ones around. The tall bookshelves surrounding the couches made it seem like a secret hideout, and you felt like you were children hiding in a tree house.

Dan fell into one of the couches with very little grace and you followed suit, earning you a quiet laugh from Dan when he saw the way your hair flew so wildly. You blew the hair out of your face and giggled, then settled into the couch and opened up your book. Dan opened his book too as one of his ankles was propped up on the opposite knee to sit leisurely. There the two of you spent a couple of hours just simply reading, every now and then looking at one another. When eyes met, you both exchanged a soft smile before returning to reading. 

An orange glow shone through the store as the California sunset reached its “golden hour,” a time where everything seemed to look the most beautiful. Suddenly, you had an idea. Your mom had been texting you incessantly, begging for an update on your new life. You reached into your phone and scooted closer to Danny, making him look up from his book to give you a questioning eyebrow quirk. However, he noticed you open up the camera application and he shut his book in his lap, then leaned in to take the picture with you. His curls tickled your cheek and you tried not to think about how your knee was touching his. 

The way the sun shone made it filter through his hair and illuminate his face in such a gorgeous way that, when the camera app opened and you saw the two of you in the capture, you had to stop for a moment and admire just how beautiful he looked. Not wanting to wait too long and seem odd, you snapped a couple of pictures, Dan smiling goofily in a couple of them and more sincere in the others. 

“Thanks,” you whispered, the Barnes & Noble quiet enough to hear a cough from across the store. “My mom’s been wanting to see who I work with.”

“No problem. It’s a nice picture.” He peered over your shoulder as you picked one to send. “Can you send it to me, too? And the one with my gross thumb in it.”

“Sure thing.” You chuckled and sent him the same picture you’d sent your mom, as well as the one of you two where he was holding his thumb up. “There you go.”

“Cool, thanks.” Dan smiled, then spotted the time at the top of your phone. “Oh, wow. It’s been like two and a half hours. We’d better get going. You gonna buy the book?” He nodded to the book you’d been reading and you shrugged your shoulders. 

“Nah, I’ll finish it next time.” As soon as the words left your mouth, you realized how bold it was to assume that you’d be joining him another time. You did your best not to let your emotions play on your expression. 

“I gotcha. Good plan.” Dan only smiled and rose from the couch. “Should we put these back?”

“To be honest, I kind of forgot where I got it from.”

“Yeah, me too…”

“Guess we’ll leave it here, then.” You got up and placed your book down where you had been sitting, and Dan did the same for his spot on the couch. There, the two books took your guys’ places and you both headed out of the store. “Golden Hour” had passed and now the sky was painted with shades of pink and blue as you both walked to your cars. 

“Thanks for coming with, [Name]. It was cool to have someone there so I don’t look like a loser by myself.”

“It’s fine. I had a good time.”

“Like I said--” 

You held up a hand to stop him. “Yeah, yeah. You always show a lady a good time.” You shook your head and smiled, then gave a wave. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“See you. Text me when you get home safe.”

“Will do. Bye, Danny.”

“Bye, [Name].”


	6. Staying Above Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You hear some bad news that pushes you to your breaking point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! I appreciate it!

The week had gone by without anything interesting occurring. You ran your errands as per usual and did nothing out of the ordinary. You’d spend your breaks every day talking with different people in the Grump Office, making friends and getting to know their interests and hobbies. Outside of work, you really had no one to talk to. This job required so much of your attention that making friends was just an exhausting chore you didn’t want to exert your energy into. 

As Friday arrived, you felt yourself being worn down by the week. You were a “yes man,” and found yourself unable to deny any request asked of you. The breaks you got felt so short-lived and you thrust yourself back into your work as soon as the opportunity presented itself. As soon as you got back home and sat in your apartment on your own, your anxiety always attempted to get the better of you. This week, it had won a few times. You came into the office looking rather ragged, having slept terribly the night before. 

“Hey [Name], are you alright? You look exhausted, honey.” Suzy was the first to say something, approaching you during your break with concern in her eyes. She sat down next to you and reached up to press a hand to your forehead. “You don’t have a fever… Have you been sleeping alright?”

“I’m fine, Suzy. I just haven’t been sleeping very well, is all.” The lie was an easy one to tell, since it was only half a lie. The look on Suzy’s face told you that she believed you, but she wouldn’t press it any further. She gave you a supportive pat on the knee before leaving to go back to working on some things for her online shop. 

You pulled out your phone and sighed when you realized you still had a few hours left to try and hold yourself together. While you were about to be sucked into your social media notifications, Dan had emerged from the hallway and came to flop onto the couch next to you. 

“Hey [Name]! Any interesting notifications?” When you didn’t respond right away, he leaned over to get a look at your face before waving his hand in front of your phone screen. “[Name], you okay?”

“Oh--” You jumped in your seat when his phone covered your screen and you looked to your left to see Dan, brown eyes searching your own for some kind of clue. “Sorry, Danny. I’m pretty tired.”

“No problem. Been there before.” He smiled reassuringly at you, then leaned back in the couch. “I can’t wait for the weekend.”

“Got big plans or something?” You tucked your phone back into your purse to give Dan your full attention. 

“Actually, yeah. I’m going on a date with that girl I was telling you about. The one I’ve been talking to?”

“Oh.” You tried to hide the bitterness in your voice and you wanted desperately to scratch off the Soul Mark on your ribs. “What’re you guys going to do?” What would he be doing for her that he could and should be doing to you? 

“We’re gonna go watch a movie and eat dinner. Not in that order, though.” He chuckled and you wished it didn’t sound so lovely. “Nothing super fancy, since it’s just a first date.”

“Well, you two have fun. Tell me about it on Monday, alright?” Your amicable personality would be the death of you, surely. 

“For sure. You’re easy to talk to, so I feel like I can just… tell you things. I trust you.”

“I’m glad you do, Danny.” You smiled at him and fought the urge to reach over and pat his knee the same way Suzy had just pat yours. “I trust you, too.” You checked the time on your phone and sighed, then rose from your seat on the couch. “I’d better get back to work.” Perhaps you’d make yourself a cup of coffee to keep you awake, but it might just exacerbate your anxiety that loomed to strike within you. After hearing what you just did, perhaps you’d take that gamble. 

“Alright, no problem. See ya later, [Name]!” He smiled so cheerfully at you that you couldn’t help but smile back. Your exhaustion and anxiety were dragging you down tooth and nail, but you needed to keep your head above the water for just a couple more hours. Just a couple more hours, and you could go home and finally break. 

Your hands were shaking as you poured a cup of coffee for yourself.


	7. You Made Your Bed, Now Lie In It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A weekend alone in your apartment is enough to make you overthink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so short! Again, thank you for such positive responses to the story! Your kudos, comments, and bookmarks mean a lot to me. I'm glad I got back into writing.

As soon as you got home that Friday, you had collapsed into a sobbing mess once the door was shut behind you. Alone in your apartment, you had no one to comfort you and, thankfully, no one to judge you for lying in the bed you’d made. You could lose him to this, and you had no idea what to do about it besides accept it. 

Insecurities got the best of you as you laid on your couch and stared up at the ceiling, hot tears running down the side of your face and into your hair. This girl Dan was going on a date with… Just who was she? She had to be Dan’s type, but what was that exactly? From the music videos you’d seen from the Ninja Sex Party songs, you had to guess she had tattoos and brightly colored hair and a thin waist and a dazzling smile. Your hand ran over your bare arms and you wondered if you were too plain. 

Another wave of sadness overcame you at eleven o’clock when you got a text from Dan to let you know the date had gone well. “Dinner went great. She seems really cool. Got home safe!” A message you had asked for, yet hated when you got it. Why did you continue to lie to him? Why did you lie to yourself? Deny yourself this right that the symbol on your ribs gave you?

Your mind told you why. You didn’t deserve this love, this happy ending. He may be your Soulmate, but were you his? You had dated before, just to pass the time until you met the “one,” but now that you’ve met him, he has eyes on someone else. The reality of it broke your heart, shattered it like a glass vase being thrown onto tile. 

You laid on the floor for a bit, wanting to try and see things from a new perspective. Your phone was lit up with the picture you took with Danny at Barnes and Noble and new tears began to form in your eyes when you realized that you and Danny might never look like that again. Had anyone seen the picture, they’d have assumed you were a couple. Your faces were so close, you remember the tickle of his hair on your cheek. God, how your heart ached now. 

It was four in the morning on Saturday when you woke up on the floor, still in the clothes you had worn before. Slowly but surely, you peeled yourself off of the ground and headed for the bathroom. In the shower, you slowly increased the heat of the water until the steam was visible and you sat in the bathtub as the water ran over your skin. You tried not to look at your Soul Mark, for every time you did it made your shattered heart squeeze, fracturing it all the more. After an hour in the shower, you were reminded of the water bill and shut the water off, wrapping yourself in a towel and making your way out to the kitchen. 

You started a pot of hot water and went back to your room to put on a pair of cloth shorts and an old tee shirt that was far too large for you. You rubbed your hair to a less-damp state with your towel, then hung the towel up in the bathroom and went to pour the hot water into a mug, then put a tea bag into it to let it steep. Both you and your mug found a place in the living room, the mug taking the coffee table and you taking the couch. 

The silence of the apartment was beginning to gnaw at you, allowing the thoughts to creep back into your mind once again. No matter how much you wanted to fight it off, you couldn’t escape the demons. The constant throb in the back of your skull reminded you of how pathetic you were, crying about a problem you’d made for yourself. Fresh tears clouded your vision and you sipped at your tea, ignoring the burn it left on your tongue. You deserved it. 

A notification on your phone lit up your screen and you looked over to see that it was Suzy who had texted you. It was a simple, “Hello” text, and yet it was enough for you to weigh the outcomes of calling her and asking her to come over. You desperately needed someone you knew wouldn’t judge you, and wouldn’t make fun of you. After a few more minutes of thinking about it, you reached for your phone and called Suzy.


	8. Secrets Among Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You call Suzy over and reveal some important information to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! Let me know how you're liking it so far, and remember to bookmark it to keep up with the story!

“Suzy?”

“Hey, [Name]! What’s up?”

“Um, this is stupid but do you think you can,” You stopped to sniffle. “Come over?”

“Yeah, I can come over! Is everything okay, hon?”

“I can explain when you get here.”

“Alright, let me just feed the cats and I’ll be right over!”

“Thanks Suzy. You’re the best.”

“No, you are! See you soon!”

“See you soon.”

You hung up the phone and let out a sigh of relief. You wouldn’t be alone anymore. Of course, you still felt bad about taking up part of Suzy’s day with your emotional bullshit, but you were glad to have a friend like her. Being in Los Angeles without a friend from back home to call made for quite the lonely lifestyle. 

You stayed on your couch sipping your tea and by the time your drink was gone, Suzy was there and knocking on your door. You got up to open it up and smiled when you saw her, but her expression was etched with worry and concern as soon as she saw your puffy eyes. 

“Oh, [Name], what’s going on?”

“Come on in. I’ve got something I should tell you.” You lead her to your couch and pulled your feet up onto the cushion, hugging your knees. “So I don’t know if you noticed…”

“Your big fat crush on Danny? It’s okay, I think I’m the only one in the office who’s noticed it. Well, maybe Arin, but he wouldn’t say anything about it to him.” Suzy reached over to pat your knee. “Is this about him going on a date yesterday?”

“Yes, but… There’s more to it than that.”

“You can tell me anything, [Name], you know that. You’ve got my full confidentiality, alright?”

“Of course… Thank you, Suzy.” You gave her a genuine smile. It warmed your heart to hear her say that, and it gave you the reassurance you needed to finally tell someone about the thing you’ve been hiding the last few months. “So, um, have you seen Danny’s Soul Mark before?”

“Yeah, it’s a moon with a star, right?”

“Right. Well…” You set your feet back on the ground and lifted up your shirt to reveal the matching Soul Mark on your ribs, a sheepish look on your face as you tried to gauge Suzy’s reaction. She looked at it with wide eyes, her mouth slightly agape in shock, and she stayed like that for a few moments before finally gasping and looking at your face. 

“How long have you known?!”

“Remember that day I asked for itch cream? The first day I was at the office? The cream was for Danny, because he thought he had a bug bite. But when he lifted his pant leg, I saw it and I just… I froze!” You let your shirt fall back down and ran your hands through your hair in frustration. “I haven’t said a word about it to him. I’m scared to, I think. I just... “ You sighed and looked to Suzy. “What if I’m not what he wants?”

“Oh, honey!” Suzy reached over and pulled you into a tight hug. You wrapped your arms around her immediately, not realizing how much you needed a hug. “I’m more than positive that Danny would be thrilled to find out you’re his soulmate! And he’d be lucky, too! But,” She pulled back from the hug enough to look you in the eyes. “If you want to keep this a secret still, I won’t say a word. I promise.”

“Thanks, Suzy. I want to be the one to tell him, but I just can’t find the right moment. And now, he just went on a date with some girl and he said it went great!” You sighed and rested your head against Suzy’s shoulder. She rubbed your arm to comfort you. “How can I just blurt out, ‘Hey sorry you had a great date with that other girl but I’m your soulmate just so you know.’ I can’t do that to him, not when he’s happy with the date girl.”

“I’ve known Danny for a long time, [Name], and I’m sure that once he realized his soulmate was standing right in front of him this whole time, he’d drop everything to make you happy. The whole soulmate thing is so tricky. There’s nothing to tell you who it is except for the Soul Mark.” She chuckled when she looked at her tattooed arm. “I’ve got all of these tattoos, so it’s kind of misleading. The fans like to guess which part is my Soul Mark, but the joke’s on them!”

Suzy let go of you and she lifted her shirt enough to pull up the side of her bra. There, a tiny little cat paw-print stood out against her skin. “Mine is right here.” She put her shirt and bra back to their original place. “Arin’s is on his butt, which is pretty funny. He told me when we’d met and we’ve been together ever since.” Suzy reached over and placed her hand on top of yours. “All you have to do is tell him, [Name]. He’s not going to know, otherwise. If you want to keep it a secret, that’s up to you. I won’t pressure you to say anything, but I know that you’d both be happier if the truth was out there.”

You sighed and leaned back in your couch. “You’re right… I just can’t bring myself to do it. I will, eventually, but not yet. I don’t have the courage, yet.”

“I totally understand.” Suzy smiled at you and you smiled back. Talking with Suzy had made you feel much better and you thanked yourself for calling her. Sometimes, it seemed, you could make the right choice. 

“I’m glad I told you, Suzy. It’s been eating me up.”

“I’ll bet! That’s a heavy burden to carry. Though, speaking of eating up…” Suzy grinned. “Do you want to order some food? I’m starving, and I’ll bet you are too.”

“How’d you guess?” Your stomach growled and you placed your hand over it, laughing for the first time all weekend. “We can have it delivered here. I’m not up for going out to eat.”

“Sure thing! I’ll just use doordash.” 

“Thanks, Suzy. You’re the best.”

“No, you are!” She giggled and got out her phone to place the food order. You sighed and melted into the couch, yawning. The pressure of having the secret of your Soul Mark had been lifted, if only a bit. It was enough to make you feel relieved, and perhaps not so alone. Perhaps, one day, you’d tell Danny about it, too.


	9. Winter Has Come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip to New York is announced, and you're in quite the good mood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the lack of updating! I'm swamped with school lately. Thank you to everyone who is reading, especially those of you who are giving kudos, comments, and bookmarking the story!

After eating together, Suzy left your apartment to run some errands and you were left to do some reflecting. As a means of distraction, you put on some music while you cleaned your apartment, but you were left with nothing to do when the apartment was squeaky clean. You played some video games and busied yourself with other activities to keep your mind occupied. That worked for the most part, but once it came time to go to bed, the nervous, anxious thoughts returned to your brain. 

It was only once you were exhausted and it was two in the morning that you finally fell asleep. When you awoke on Sunday mid-morning, you had a text message from Suzy asking you to hangout. You responded that you’d love to, then hopped into the shower to get ready for the day. You dressed casually, but made sure to do your makeup since you’d be going out, and checked your messages. Suzy sent you a meetup spot and you hopped into your car to head there. 

The two of you spent the day jumping from shop to shop, Suzy pulling you into various jewelry and antique shops. She nearly had you convinced to buy a haunted bracelet, but you passed on the odd opportunity in favor of living your life spirit-free. It was the distraction you needed to keep your mind off of the issues going on with Danny, and Suzy knew it. For that, you were thankful and happy to call her a friend. 

A few months had passed since then and the cooler fall weather gave way to an even cooler winter. While still California, the winter chill was enough to warrant an extra blanket at night and a thick jacket during the day. You arrived to the Grumps Office with a hooded sweatshirt protecting you from the cold, the hood pulled up over your head until you got to the heated safety of the office. 

“Is it that cold out there?” Ross spotted you as you came in and pulled on the string of your hoodie, tightening the hood around your face. You swatted at his hand, laughing. 

“Yes, it is! It’s freezing!” You fixed your hoodie and pulled the hood off of your head, hands going to smooth out your hair. 

“Alright, I believe you. Your red nose says it all.”

“My nose isn’t that red!” You covered it with your hand anyways, but laughed as you went towards the desk space. You got a few more greetings and, as you walked through the office, you realized how warm it was in there. By the time you got to the kitchen you were already pulling off your hoodie to relax in the long-sleeved shirt you wore underneath. 

Brent went around after you’d made yourself a cup of coffee and called everyone into the meeting room. You gathered up a bowl of snacks and some drinks, then brought it into the meeting room and pulled up a chair to sit on the side. Once everyone settled into the room around the long, large table, Brent got started. 

“Alright, so we’ve had this trip to New York planned for a while. Danny and Arin, you guys are going to do an interview about Game Grumps to a magazine and Danny has another interview about NSP. The hotels are already set up, and your tickets are booked for your flights. You’ll be leaving this weekend, so please be ready for that.” Brent turned to you. “[Name], you’re going to pick them up and take them to the airport. You’ll be going with them, too, to make sure they stay on schedule and help them out since I can’t go.”

You nodded your head, writing down notes as he spoke. You gave him a thumbs up as you finished up your notes and wrote down a reminder to get all of the necessary paperwork forwarded to you to have. You also wrote down another note to buy a thicker coat and a scarf. 

“The people going on this trip are going to be [Name], Danny, Arin, and Suzy. So, you guys make sure you’ve got everything settled here before leaving, alright? Just check in with me, [Name].” You nodded and Brent continued with the meeting, giving everyone assignments and updates about various projects they were working on. You continued to take notes and, once the meeting was over, you made sure to gather up the uneaten snacks and brought them back to the kitchen. Danny popped in from around the corner with a big grin on his face. 

“I’m so excited for this trip. I love going to New York.” He leaned against the refrigerator, hands in the pockets of his jacket. 

“I’ve never been, but I’m pretty excited too. I’ll try not to be too touristy.” 

“Are you kidding? Be as touristy as you want! I’ll even take you around to all the best places! It’ll be snowing, too, so it’s gonna look awesome. We’ll go to this pizza place in Brooklyn that I really like, okay?”

“Sounds like a good plan if I have you as my tour guide, Danny.” You smiled at him, happy to have this easy conversation with him. After the last couple of months, you had the support of Suzy in regards to your secret, and it made it a little more bearable. “Make sure to give me the full Spider-Man tour of the city.”

“I can’t web-sling, but I’ll do my damnedest.” He beamed, and you couldn’t help but giggle at how cute he was being. All of football season had Danny fanboying over any Giants game, and you sat with him countless times to listen to him talk about football. You mostly just liked the way he looked when he talked about something he enjoyed. 

“My hero.” You patted him on the chest as you walked past him, a smile still on your lips. Your good mood certainly didn’t have anything to do with the fact that the girl Danny had been talking to ended up being a bad match, and Danny had stopped talking to her. It was a little bit of a weight off your mind, and it certainly gave you less guilt when you were a little sweet on him. 

The trip to New York would surely prove to be a fun experience, but you hoped to every deity out there that nothing terrible would happen. They usually didn’t listen when you spoke, though.


	10. (Update)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A note!

[Hi guys, this is just an update so I don't leave you guys hanging! I've been really busy with school lately so that's taking up all of my time. I'm thinking I might take a break from this story just until the semester is over/close to over. Sorry for the cliffhanger type deal going on! Thanks for your patience, and thank you for reading! I'll hopefully be able to update here and there when I'm less busy! Lots of love and thanks to you guys. Look forward to more, because I'm going to finish this I swear lmao]


	11. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The flight and arrival to New York!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the well-wishes and constant love! I really appreciate it! Hopefully, I can carve out some time in my schedule to work on this fic a bit here and there as the rest of the year progresses. Here's a short chapter since I had some time today! Enjoy the bit of fluff and me avoiding the "and there was only one bed" trope lmao

The plans for the trip to New York were all settled by the end of the week and you had your bag packed, ready to go. You had never really had the opportunity to travel before, so you were eager to take this opportunity despite the itching fear in the back of your mind. It was winter, so hopefully there wouldn’t be any opportunity for your Soul Mark to be seen. Dan had warned you about the drastic weather difference between sunny Southern California and the Big Apple, so you brought a thick coat with you onto the plane. 

Dan took the seat next to you on the plane, looking rather cramped in the middle seat. His knees were preventing the table tray from ever setting down properly and he turned to you with an exasperated sigh. “[Name], can I put my freakishly long legs on your side?”

“Fine,” you relented, shifting your own legs closer to the side. Your knees pressed up against the wall of the plane and you gestured with your hand for him to scoot his legs over. Dan stretched himself out, angling himself in his seat so that he was facing you and getting his legs comfortable. “Comfy?”

“Super duper.” He grinned at you and you rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help a small smile from coming to your lips as well. About a half an hour passed and the plane was finally ready to head towards takeoff. The plane’s engines came to life and you gripped the armrests in anticipation. Dan quirked a brow at you, noticing your whitening knuckles. “You okay?”

“Oh, um…” You smiled sheepishly, feeling a bit embarrassed. “I’ve never flown before, so I’m kind of nervous. I-I’m not scared, or anything! Just a little nervous.”

“Gotcha.” Without another word, Dan took your hand in his own and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Something in his brown eyes asked for permission, and you gave his hand a squeeze back to say that it was alright. You turned your eyes towards the window beside you and watched as the plane made its way down the tarmac. 

It was your plane’s turn to take off and you felt adrenaline rush through your veins, the plane’s engines roaring louder. The plane sped up faster and faster as it went down the runway and you were pulled back into your seat by the motion. And then, suddenly, the nose of the plane went up and up and so did the rest of the plane. You were in the air and you turned to Dan with a bright grin. 

“That was so cool.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool, isn’t it?” He smiled at you and continued to hold your hand, and you made no move to take it away. 

The rest of the plane ride was smooth, thankfully with no layovers or other stops. You’d fallen asleep for a bit and awoke resting on Dan’s shoulder. You’d apologized, but he reassured you that it was fine. You and the others all got off the plane, grabbed your luggage, and grabbed a taxi to the hotel. You approached the front desk of the hotel and got out the necessary papers to confirm the reservation, all documents provided by Brent. 

“Alright, we have two rooms for you, and right across the hall from one another.” The front desk employee placed two key cards on the counter. “Will you be heading up right away?”

“Yes, please.” You and the others were in desperate need of some rest before any sightseeing was to be done. The clerk nodded and tapped away and the keyboard, then waved to one of the bellhops. The teenager hurried over, pushing along a luggage cart. He gathered up everyone’s bags, then headed up to our rooms with us. 

You tipped the bellhop after he set the bags down in the hall and Suzy opened up the door to one of the rooms. She turned back with a bit of a wide-eyed look, surprised. Curious, you peered into the room and realized what had caused the shock. There, against the middle of the wall, was a large, king-sized bed. Just the one. Dan opened the door to the hotel room across the hall and turned back with a concerned look. 

“Uh, so I guess Arin and I are gonna spoon tonight?” Dan asked, though he knew the answer anyways. 

“Seems like it.” Suzy gave him an apologetic smile, then patted Arin on the shoulder, reaching up to place a kiss on her husband’s cheek. “Sorry, honey.” 

“It’s okay, Dan and I can cuddle.” Arin laughed and pulled his luggage into the other room, Dan doing the same. Once you and Suzy were inside of your room, you gave a sigh of relief. 

“Thanks, Suzy… I’m sorry you don’t get to room with Arin.”

“Oh, it’s okay! I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable, [Name]. That’s the most important.” From across the hall, you could hear a muffled shout from Dan and you and Suzy laughed. “See? They’re already having such a good time.” Suzy yawned and stretched her arms out. “I could use a nap, though.”

“Me too.” You kicked off your shoes and flopped onto the bed, Suzy doing the same. The two of you fell asleep almost right away, the jet-lag of travelling to a different time zone draining you both of any energy.


	12. Winter Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan has his interview and you talk a walk in Central Park.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I just want to make clear (like many other authors in this fandom) that I am so happy for Dan and his girlfriend! I'm so glad that they've gotten together and that they make one another happy. These fanfics are, of course, works of fiction and are never meant to mean any offense to Dan or his girlfriend. I will continue the story, but please keep in mind that these are works of fiction. I'm very happy for Dan, and I wish he and his girlfriend all the best! Thank you all for reading!

The next morning, the group of you all having spent the previous evening getting settled and planning on where to go to sightsee, you got dressed in warm-enough clothes and made sure to arrange for the Lyft to pick you all up and take Dan to the interview. You, Suzy, and Arin all waited in the lobby of the building while Dan headed up with the secretary. You gave him a small wave when he looked back at the group, and he gave a lopsided smile in return. 

“So [Name], where did you want to go first?” Suzy asked, seated next to Arin with her hand in his. 

“I have no clue. There’s a lot of stuff to see here, so I guess I’ll just take what I can get.” You shrugged your shoulders with a smile. As long as everyone got to do what they wanted, you were happy. “I think I remember Danny saying something about a pizza place? We can go there for lunch.”

“Oh, hell yeah.” Arin beamed, then deflated. “Can I eat pizza? I’m on that meal plan again…”

Suzy patted his shoulder with her free hand and offered up a supportive smile. “It’s okay. We’re on a holiday, so you can treat yourself.” Arin perked right back up with his wife’s supportive words and you couldn’t help but admire their love. It was such a lovely partnership, and it was easy to see how much they loved one another just by the look in their eyes. 

“They have veggie pizzas, if you’re worried. Or, extra meat? I actually don’t know what your diet is, but I’m sure they’ve got something close.” You had no idea what the pizza place Dan had in mind offered, but pizza places in general were pretty wide in variety, right? Then again, this was New York… 

About an hour passed and Dan finally exited the elevator, looking a little anxious but more so relieved to have the interview done with. He smiled once he spotted you, Suzy, and Arin and hurried his steps to reach you all. 

“Alright, let’s get the hell out of here.” Dan’s whole body language changed once he was with the group and you gently nudged him with your elbow.

“You said there was a good pizza place nearby, right?” 

“Yeah! It’s not super far from here, either. Let’s go.” He nodded his head for the group to follow him and you, Suzy, and Arin all followed behind him. His long legs made his strides long and you had to hurry to keep up the pace. Dan seemed to take notice and purposefully slowed his walk so that you could catch up, though he kept his hands in his coat pockets and didn’t look at you. You smiled, nonetheless. 

The four of you got pizza, Arin able to meet something close to his diet’s requirement, and the rest of you enjoying your own slices of differing preferences. Once that was done, it had gotten closer to evening and you guys were beginning to lose daylight. 

“Hey, we can go walk in Central Park, if you guys are up for it?” Danny asked as you guys tossed your paper plates into the garbage bin. 

“Actually, Arin and I are going to spend some quality time together. Why don’t you guys go ahead? [Name]’s never been to New York, but Arin and I can always visit another time.” Suzy looped her arm through Arin’s and you nodded.

“Yeah, no problem! You guys have a key to the hotel rooms, right?” Danny asked. 

“Yup! Don’t worry about us. You guys go have a nice walk!” Suzy waved before walking to the curb with Arin to flag down a cab. 

“Well, looks like it’s just me and you, [Name].” Danny smiled down at you from his height and you returned the smile, the cold already making your cheeks red. Thankfully it was enough to hide the blush you got at the realization that the two of you would be alone with one another. “Let’s go, shall we Milady?”

“Oh, gross, don’t say that!” You laughed and took the lead, despite you not knowing where you were going. Dan caught up to you with ease and walked beside you. Seemed like you went in the right direction! 

The two of you walked towards Central Park, Dan steering you guys in the proper direction. The temperature lowered more and more as you made your way to the park, causing your breath to materialize in the air whenever you exhaled. Dan watched as you breathed out into the air and he chuckled, but said nothing. Finally, you guys arrived to the park and you gasped as you looked around, cold air filling your lungs. 

The lights of the park were dazzling in the winter snow that dusted everything in sight. Although the trees laid bare, there was still a beauty to them. Long and lanky, but beautiful, much like the man beside you. You and Dan walked down the long path, others passing you two by. 

“This place is gorgeous! I wish I brought my camera…” You continued to gaze around at the park’s sights. 

“Yeah, this place is pretty cool. It’s one of my favorite places to go whenever I’m here.” He continued walking with you, keeping his hands buried in his coat to keep them warm. “I’m glad I got to show you how great this place can be. Some people give New York a bad reputation because of the subways and rats and all that crap. But places like this are what make it special.”

“Mm, you’re right. I’m glad you brought me here, too.”

For a bit, the two of you simply walked in comfortable silence through the park. By the time the sun had completely disappeared and nighttime overtook the city, Dan nodded his head in a random direction. “Hey, I know a place to grab a drink if you want? Get a nice alcohol blanket going on to keep you warm?”

“Sure, sounds great!” You could do for something to help rid the chill from your bones. 

“Cool, let’s go!” He grinned that lopsided, goofy smile of his and you couldn’t help but be drawn to it, following after him as he took the lead.


	13. Freaaaaaky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After getting some drinks, you and Dan return to the hotel only to be surprised by a change in sleeping situations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lets get mildly spicy yall

The bar that you and Dan arrive at is small, a tiny hole-in-the-wall type place that you normally wouldn’t have entered had you been on your own. However, Danny had a way of making you feel comfortable no matter where you were. The bar was crowded and you and Dan squeezed through to get a seat at the bar. He held a hand by your waist as he guided you to an open seat, which you climbed up onto as Dan took the one next to you. 

The bartender came by and Dan ordered a beer while you ordered a mojito. The drinks arrived quickly and you immediately began to sip on yours, feeling it warm you from your throat, to your stomach, then from the inside out. It was just as Dan had called it: an alcohol blanket. Plus, the crowded bar was already beginning to warm you up. 

“So,” Danny spoke finally, turning on his barstool to face you. “How’s it been working at the office?”

“It’s probably the best job I’ve ever had, if I’m being honest.” You took another sip of your drink before continuing. “I mean, I’ve got awesome coworkers, the job itself isn’t crazy, and I don’t have to worry about some creepy boss trying to hit on me!” You remembered your job at an ice cream shop as a teenager and shuddered at the memory. A greasy twenty-two year old manager of a Baskin Robbins wasn’t exactly prime bachelor material. 

“Well, good thing this boss isn’t creepy.” Danny laughed and then shrugged his shoulders. “I’m glad you like working with us, though. It’s been really awesome adding you to the team, ya know. You make the office run a lot smoother than it used to, and we appreciate it.”

“Well, I’m glad.” You raised your mojito glass. “Cheers to me making the office better.”

Dan chuckled and clinked his beer bottle with your glass and the two of you took your drinks. You finished yours off with ease, feeling your face grow warmer and the usual tension you kept in your shoulders melt just a bit. With a wave for the bartender, you were brought another and Danny laughed. 

“Jesus, [Name], don’t try to drink me under the table! Let me catch up!”

“C’mon, Avidan! Don’t let a lady out-drink you!”

Those were certainly words that lead to some poor choices. Within the next hour, the two of you had drinken far more than you probably should have. Stumbling, the both of you hung onto one another as you went outside to meet your Uber that you ordered. You both fell into the back, giggling as you tried to get situated in your seats and buckled in. 

The Uber dropped you both off in front of the hotel and you thanked the driver by blowing a kiss in his direction, which caused Danny to snort and blow one too, making you erupt into a fit of giggles. The driver only rolled his eyes and went on his way, and you and Dan made your way into the hotel. The elevator ride was filled with giggles and you both kept cracking lame jokes and wondering why the building didn’t have 69 floors. 

Once on your floor, you both tried to make your way to your rooms as quietly as two drunk people could, only for you to find a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door. 

“Danny,” you whispered harshly as you went to him at his own door across the hall. “Danny, look!” He looked over at your door to see the sign and widened his eyes, then giggled. 

“Ooooh, Arin and Scuze are getting freaaaaky. We better give ‘em their privacy.” 

“I hope they’re having fuuuuun,” you slurred and gestured for Dan to hurry up. “Open the door! I wanna lay down!” 

“Alright, alright!” 

Dan opened up the door with his keycard he fished out of his wallet and once the door was open, you both pushed your way inside and let the door shut behind you. With very little grace, you managed to kick off your heels and lay on the bed with your arms spread wide on either side of you. The room spun slightly, but definitely not as much as when you had first left the bar. 

“I’m guessing you don’t wanna sleep in a pencil skirt and blouse?” Danny asked from the side of the room where he had his suitcase. 

“You got it, champ.” You pointed a finger at him and laughed. Danny chuckled and dug out a tee shirt to toss at you. It landed on your face and you pulled it off to look at it. It was definitely too big, which worked perfectly as a nightgown. “Thanks, Danny. Now, go stand in the bathroom while I change.”

“Aww, I can’t watch?” Danny teased, though he was already on his way to the bathroom. He shut the door behind him and you rose from your spot on the bed to begin changing out of your clothes. You shed your coat and tossed the heavy thing to the floor unceremoniously. Already, you felt more comfortable. You had un-buttoned your blouse and nearly had it off of your arms when the bathroom door opened suddenly. 

“Wait I gotta grab-” Danny had started, but the sentence died in his throat as he looked at you. For a moment, he just looked at you and your exposed, bra-clad chest, but then his eyes went to the spot on your ribs. You immediately slammed your arm against it, hoping and praying that he hadn’t seen any details. “Uh, s-sorry. I was just gonna grab my pajamas.”

“Uh-huh. Um, go ahead.”

“Yeah I’m just gonna, uh, get those.”

“Okay.”

Awkwardly, Dan hurried and grabbed his own pajamas before rushing back into the bathroom and shutting the door behind him. Once the door was closed, panic filled every vein in your body, making your blood run cold. Did he see it? It didn’t seem like he did… But now he knew where your Soul Mark was! You quickly finished getting undressed and changed into the Rush tee shirt that Dan had given you. It smelled of him, and you tried not to let that get to you. 

“You can come back in now!” you called out so that Danny was signaled of your decency. The bathroom door opened and he emerged in his own tee shirt and boxers. For a moment, you watched as his eyes un-stealthily trailed up your bare legs. “Geez, ogle me more, why don’t you.” 

“Sorry, can’t help it. You got nice legs.”

The compliment sent a blush to your already warm face and you only roll your eyes as you move to turn on the television. A rerun of an old sitcom is playing, but it’s enough background noise for you to ignore your drunk mind telling you to act on your feelings of want. You go into the bathroom, wash off your face, borrow a bit of mouthwash, then tie your hair up into a bun and make your way back into the room. Dan is already comfortably lounging on the bed and, when you enter, he looked to you. 

“I can sleep on the floor, if you want.”  
“With you back? Hell no. I don’t mind sharing the bed if you don’t.” 

“Alright, cool with me.” 

You climbed onto your side of the bed, slipping under the cover and suddenly being very thankful that you had shaved your legs yesterday. The room still felt a bit spinny, but you felt like you were beginning to sober up just a bit. You were certainly buzzed, but definitely not drunk. With a groan, you sink deeper into the pillow and Danny chuckled, reaching over to pat your shoulder reassuringly. 

“Make the room stop spinning, Danny.”

“Sorry, princess, don’t know how to stop it.”

“Mmn, fine.”

You turn over, sighing as the coolness of the untouched side of the pillow helped diminish the heat in your cheeks. Now facing Danny, you look up at him as he watched the television, then at the hand that lies near you from when he had patted your shoulder. Apparently, the tv wasn’t enough to quell your thoughts and keep them from turning to actions. 

You reach out from the covers and take hold on Danny’s hand with your own, rubbing your thumb over the top of his hand. He looked down at you with raised brows, perhaps surprised by your choice of action. You look up and him and his expression changes to one you can’t quite place, though it ultimately looks thoughtful. Dan looked to the tv, decided to leave it be, and got himself under the covers so that he could look at you from the same angle as you, keeping his hand in yours. 

“Hey Danny,” you whispered. 

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for today.”

“Of course, [Name]. I had a good time with you. I always do.”

“Really?” Your voice is quiet, still a whisper. There’s uncertainty in your voice and in your eyes as you look to him for confirmation. As though he could sense your anxiety, Dan moves closer and presses a soft kiss to your forehead before retreating back to his original spot. If your cheeks felt warm from the alcohol, this surely made your face burn red. 

“Why would I lie?”

“I don’t know… I just…” You catch yourself before you say something dumb. “I don’t know. I don’t think you’d lie to me, I just always wonder if I’m just… the assistant, you know?”

“Princess, you’re more than that. You’re our friend. We all love spending time with you, even when we’re not working.”

“Thanks, Danny. It’s really reassuring to hear that, especially from you.” 

For a bit, the two of you just look at one another, the only light coming from the tv. Whatever dialogue is happening on the tv is lost to you, as you’re too busy taking in how lovely Danny looks with his wild hair sprawled out on the pillow. You tighten your hold on his hand and he squeezes it back. 

“Can I be honest with you, Danny?”

“Of course you can.”

“I’m really glad I met you.”

He pauses, as though surprised that those are the words that you wanted to say in full honesty. Was he expecting something else? Was he bothered? Before more questions of concern can swarm your mind, he smiles sweetly at you. 

“I’m glad I met you too. I feel like you get me.”

“I’d like to think so.”

“I mean it. I feel like I can talk to you about anything and you won’t judge me, no matter what.”

“Of course, Dan. I’m happy that you trust me.”

He pauses, then asks, “Do you trust me?”

“Of course,” you respond with no hesitation. It surprises you how quickly you answer it. 

“Good.”

“Good.”

Again, the two of you lie there in silence, save for the laugh track on the television. There’s something there, an unasked question lingering in the air that you both want to voice. You can see it in those big brown eyes the way he wants to ask, the way he wants to answer. You shift closer, your faces inches apart and your knee brushing against his leg. He matches your movement, inching closer. You can see his stubble and want to run your fingers over it, feel it scratch your palm. Your faces are so close, you can feel his breath on your hand that holds his own. 

“Can I?” he finally whispers, giving that question life. 

“Of course.”

With those words of permission, Dan closes the space between you two, pressing his lips to yours. Your eyes fall shut, taking in the feeling of his kiss. You kiss him back, hoping to convey just how much you’d wanted this. It wasn’t the alcohol that made you want this. It was here all along, since you’d met. It was fate, was it not?

You let go of his hand and use your free one to run your hand along the stubble on his jaw as you kiss him, a few quick pecks before you pursue a more passionate liplock, desperate to feel more of his affection. Dan’s now free hand goes to your waist and pulls you closer to him, pulling your body flush against his. You sigh and Dan takes the opportunity to slip his tongue out to lick your lip. The feeling of it sends electricity through you and you chase it, kissing him back and opening your mouth wide enough for your tongue to meet his own. 

After some time, you both break away to catch your breath. Dan presses his forehead against your own, his eyes closed but his hold on you never lessening. You both know that this shouldn’t go any further for the time being. It was an endeavor better pursued sober. You place a soft kiss to his prickly cheek, then rest your head lazily on the pillow. 

“That was nice.”

“Mmm, very nice.” Dan’s voice is sleepy, and you know slumber is calling him. With a chuckle, you adjust in the bed so that you’re resting your head on his chest and Dan wraps an arm around your shoulders loosely, his other hand holding the one that laid on his chest. “G’night, [Name].”

“Goodnight, Danny.”

In mere minutes, you’re both asleep, unaware of the chaos that would come in the morning.


	14. Lying In The Bed You've Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting a little steamy, but it's more than you expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for such a long delay in a new chapter being posted! I've been super super busy with school and trying to get a second job, so I hope you all are forgiving in that. I'm really happy you all have been such big fans of the story, and I hope you all continue to be. Again, I'd like to reiterate that this is all a work of fiction and that the Dan being represented here is fictional. I very much respect Dan and Ashley's relationship, and I wish them the best and all the happiness in the world. Thanks again for being such great readers and fans, and please continue to be patient with me!

When morning came, both you and Dan are awoken by an incessant pounding on the hotel door. Groggily and without thinking, you trudge over to the door and open it to reveal Arin and Suzy on the other side. At first, they are panicked, but their expressions quickly shift to one of relief, then to one of teasing. 

“Well, good morning [Name]. Looks like you had a nice night, huh?” Arin asks as he peers into what was technically his room. Dan is sitting up from his place on the bed, sleep still clinging to the edges of his consciousness. 

“Arin, leave her alone!” Suzy’s voice is the one that really snaps you out of your tired hangover, the higher pitch making your head throb. You quickly gather your current situation and your eyes go wide. 

“Wh- I- We, um--” You turn back to Dan for some kind of assistance, but he’s rubbing his eyes to try and shake the sleep away. 

“Huh?” is all he has to offer in response. 

“It’s alright! You two lovebirds can sleep in some more. Suzy and I are gonna go down to the hotel breakfast.” Arin reaches for the doorknob and pulls the door closed. You can hear him muttering behind the door. “I was gonna take a poop in there, but I guess I’ll do it downstairs in the lobby bathroom.”

With a groan, you lean your forehead against the closed door, your arms hanging limp. A recollection of the previous night’s events came rushing into your pressurized mind and the headache is only getting worse. You force yourself away from the door, not sparing Dan a glance as you pass him and head to the bathroom to get a glass of water from the sink. 

Dan makes his way out of the bed and you can hear him stretching, small groans coming from the room as his bones crack. The glass of water helps the headache, but there is still plenty going on up there to make your brain hurt. The source of the stretching noises pokes his head into the bathroom and spots you, to which he smiles about. 

“Mornin’. Was that Arin and Suzy earlier?”

“Mhmm.” You pour yourself another glass of water and drink half of it before continuing. “They’re going to the breakfast downstairs.” 

“Oh, cool. You hungry? We can head down, too, if you want?”

“To be honest, what I want to do right now is shower. I feel so gross.”

Dan chuckles and nods. “Alright, good plan. Are you uh, gonna go back to your room? To shower, I mean.”

“I mean, that’s where my other clothes are, so…” 

“Right, right…”

There’s a large and heavy pause in the air, and you attempt to cut through it by finishing your water and hurrying out of the bathroom, brushing past Dan. However, he catches your wrist and you stop.

“[Name],” he starts, and you can hear some seriousness in his voice. “Are you okay? With last night.”

“... Yeah, I’m okay with it.” You turn to look at Dan. “It’s just a lot to think about, you know?” Though, hearing yourself say it out loud makes you realize that it’s only you who has a lot to think about. “I don’t regret it, if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“Good.” Dan sighs and smiles, and you have to fight the urge to kiss him. “I’m glad. I don’t regret it either.” He takes a step closer and you stand your ground, your heart beginning to beat faster in your chest. Another step closer and he’s right in front of you, hand still holding your wrist. With his other hand, he reaches up to rest it against your neck, thumb brushing over your cheek as he looks down at you. “Can I kiss you?”

“Please.” To hell with fighting the urge. Danny smiles again and he leans down, pressing his lips to your own. Much to your surprise and delight, it’s even better than how it felt last night. You’re quick to return the kiss, pressing up on your toes to push back on his lips, desperate to convey how much you want this, how much you’ve been wanting this. 

Dan responds with deepening the kiss, the hand holding your wrist leaving your skin there and instead going to your lower back to pull you closer to his lithe frame. Your hands rest on his chest, taking up handfuls of the tee shirt he wore. His thumb presses against your chin and you comply, loosening your jaw and allowing Dan to slip his tongue into your mouth to meet yours. Now that you’re both sober, now that you both can say that you surely want this, there isn’t much holding back. His adventurous hand slides down from your lower back to take up a handful of your ass, giving it an experimental, gentle squeeze and you sigh against his lips as your parting for air. The separation only lasts a brief moment before the two of you are locking lips again, and Dan is pulling you close to him as though you’re about to fly away. 

The hand against your neck is moved to meet his other, gripping your other ass cheek, both of them slipping underneath the borrowed tee shirt you wore. You moan softly, the sound of it throaty and desperate. Dan responds with a husky sigh and suddenly you’re being lifted up, your legs wrapping around his waist instinctively. He walks the two of you to the edge of the bed and gently lays you down onto it, Dan following and hovering over you, one of his knees on the bed. 

The way he’s looking down at you, like you’re some kind of treasure to behold, has your face burning red with embarrassment. The temptation to hide your face is growing the longer his big brown eyes are analyzing you, but your anxiety is quelled when he leans down and presses a tender kiss to your forehead. That kiss is followed by more and more, Dan travelling from your forehead to your cheek, then from your jawline down your neck and to your collarbone. His right hand is running up your body from your leg, your shirt being pulled up as he continues upward. 

It isn’t until it’s too late that you realize he’s lifted your shirt high enough to see your Soul Mark, and as he goes down to kiss the exposed skin of your stomach, he spots it and all of his movement stops. All he does is stare at it and you can feel yourself panicking. 

“I- I’m-” You begin to stammer. He doesn’t move and your anxiety is only rising. “I’m-” You’re desperately trying to search for the right thing to say. When Dan still doesn’t move, you go into full panic mode and crawl out from under him and off of the bed. You grab your jeans and pull them on, then grab your shirt and coat. By the time you’re at the door, Dan finally looks up and there is so much unreadable emotion in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” is all you can say as you open the door and rush to your room across the hall, pulling out your key card from your coat pocket and slamming the door behind you. You press your back against the door and the reality of what had just occurred comes crashing down on you. Tears well up in your eyes and finally you break, sobbing as you slide down the door and sit on the floor, hugging your knees and hiding your face in them. With a reaction like that, what more could you have said?


	15. Solitude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking some time for yourself doesn't mean having to isolate yourself, as Suzy reminds you.

It was an aligning of the planets and stars that allowed you all to return home that same day. After crying in the shower for an hour, you packed up your things and did your makeup as best as you could to hide the fact that your eyes were swollen and red. You called a cab and texted Arin and Suzy to both get ready to head out, as you all had a plane to catch. 

Suzy could immediately tell something was up, and she sat next to you on the plane, Arin sitting with Dan in the next aisle. Suzy had asked you what was wrong, but you told her that you weren’t feeling up for talking. She nodded and understood, giving your hand a firm squeeze of reassurance before leaving you be. The entire flight was spent looking out the window at the continent passing by as you flew back to LA, entirely silent on your end. 

The airport was a blur and you called yourself an Uber to take you back to your apartment without telling the others you were leaving, simply texting Suzy that you had headed home. As soon as you were back in your apartment, you left your suitcase by the door and laid on your couch. While you had been trying to numb yourself the entire way home, you could now freely let out all of your feelings of frustration and disappointment. 

The couch never felt so comfortable. You sent an email to Brent telling him that you were going to take your vacation time for a week. You needed the time for yourself, to hole up and forget about everything that happened, as well as steel your nerves for when you would have to face Danny again. Once you got the confirmation email from Brent, you shut your phone off and went to your room to change into sweats and a tee shirt. Back to the couch you went, and at the couch you stayed for three days. Most of your time was spent sleeping or watching Netflix. Sometimes you’d be tempted to turn on your phone, but you decided against it every time. You hardly ate, only doing so once your stomach began to ache painfully. You couldn’t be bothered to cook, so take-out ordered from your old laptop was your main choice of meals for the duration of your solitary confinement. 

By day four, there was a knock at your door. Suzy could be heard on the other side of the door, worry evident in her tone. 

“[Name], let me in! I know you’re home and we need to talk! I gave you some time, but then you didn’t come back to the office so I just know that something’s wrong!”

For a solid minute, you just stared at the door and contemplated about whether or not you should let her in. Finally, when you could hear Suzy getting ready to give up, you got up from your couch and went to the door, opening it up to the first person who wasn’t a delivery employee in a while. 

“Hey, Suzy.”

“[Name]! Oh my god, you look exhausted!” Suzy sighed and looked you over, taking in the dark circles under your swollen eyes and unwashed hair. “C’mon, let’s get you taken care of.” She made the move to enter your apartment and you don’t bother to stop her. Suzy shut the door as you shuffled back to the couch, but Suzy took your wrist and tsked at you. “I don’t think so! Off to the shower with you.” 

“But Suzy--” 

“No but’s. Go.” She dragged you along to your bathroom and gently nudged you in. “Take a shower and wash up, then we’ll talk. I’ll clean up out here while you shower.”

For a moment, you’re silent, but then you nodded and moved to close the bathroom door. “Thanks, Suzy,” you muttered before the door closed. 

You hadn’t realized how much a shower was needed until you felt the warm water on your skin. Running your hands through your wet hair showed you how oily it had gotten. You made a face and quickly went to shampoo the dirt away. After fully cleansing yourself, you got out and dried yourself off, then went to your bedroom to change into fresh clothes. While still some sweats and a tee shirt, they were at least clean ones. You went out to the now-clean living room--thanks to Suzy’s work--and took a seat on the couch where Suzy was drinking a cup of tea. A steaming mug was on the coffee table waiting for you, which you took and held in your hands. 

“So, tell me what happened, because obviously something happened. Dan’s been acting weird, too, but definitely not like this,” she said as she gave you a knowing look. 

“Well, I thought things were going fine…” You sighed and rested your head on the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling. “And that morning that we were leaving, Dan and I… We were… Well, we were making out. But then it was starting to get serious and before I realized it, he had lifted up my shirt enough to see my Soul Mark.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah,” You sighed and turned to look at Suzy. “He totally froze up. Didn’t even look at me, Suzy.” You looked down at the tea in your hands. “So, I just… got my stuff and went back to my room. He looked at me right when I was leaving, but I have no idea what that look meant.” A groan finally left you and you ran a hand through your own hair. “And then we just haven’t talked. I just holed myself up in my apartment these last few days trying to… I don’t know, get over it? Figure out what to do? I’m not sure what I’m doing, to be perfectly honest.”

“Oh, hon…” Suzy reached over to pat your knee. “That sounds like a very surprising and rough time. I’m sure you were hoping it’d go differently. You said you haven’t checked your phone yet, though. Where is it?”

“Oh, I think I left it in my room. Hold on.” You got up and got your shut-off phone and sat back down. “I haven’t even turned it back on.” You pressed down on the lock button and turned it back on, then took a sip of your tea and turned to Suzy. “I don’t really expect any messages from him. He seemed pretty shocked and, I dunno. I wonder if he’s mad because I never said anything, you know?”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out, right?” Suzy nodded her head to your phone, which had fully turned on and was requesting your pin code. You punched it in, then widened your eyes as message notifications rolled in. Most of them were from calendar reminders and from gaming apps you used. A few text messages were from people at the office, Suzy included. Despite you saying that you weren’t expecting any texts from Dan, you felt your heart sink when you saw that he hadn’t send a single message your way. 

“Nothing from Dan.”

“Hm…” Suzy hummed in thought, sipping on her tea. “Do you want me to talk to him?”

“No, that’s alright. I’m sure he’s trying to sort this all out on his own, too.” You sighed and set your phone aside, then pulled your legs up on the couch. “I don’t think I’m ready to go back to the office yet, Suzy.”

“That’s alright, [Name]. Take the rest of your vacation week to yourself, but go outside. Go for a walk around the mall or something. Maybe I can have Matt and Ryan come by and drag you out, if you don’t go.”

“I don’t think I want to be caught up in their shenanigans, but I appreciate the thought.” You chuckled and shrugged your shoulders. “I dunno, maybe I’ll make a day trip to San Diego or something. Go and see my home town.” 

“I think that’s a great idea! You should definitely do that, and definitely send me pictures.”

“I will.” You ran your thumb over the edge of your mug. “Thanks for coming by, Suzy. I appreciate it.”

“Of course, [Name]. I’m glad we finally got to talk about what happened. It’s totally been eating me up trying to figure out what went down between you guys.”

“Oh, I’m sure it has.” You rolled your eyes and laughed, Suzy joining you, and you could feel your spirits being lifted out of your own mess. Suzy just had that kind of effect on people. “Well, I better sort through my phone and get my drive to San Diego all planned out. I’ll text you once I get my notifications all cleared up.”

“You better!” Suzy put her cup in the sink, then went to leave. “Make sure to eat something good while you’re there!”

“I will, I will.” You nodded and went to see her off, waving as she drove away before heading back into your apartment and sighing as you looked at your phone’s notification center. You had your work cut out for you, it seemed. However, you felt far lighter than you had in awhile, so at least you could smile at the goofy pictures from the office that some of your coworkers sent you.


	16. An Impulse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A wholesome chapter where you take the day for yourself to visit your home area!

With your purse, phone plugged into the aux, and sunglasses on your face, you were ready for the drive from Glendale to San Diego. It’d take a couple of hours, especially since you were leaving in the later morning and the weather was fantastic. Compared to the winter in New York, the winter in California was a pleasant sixty-five degrees and the sun was out. You put on some driving music, purposefully avoiding any songs that were covered by Dan and Brian’s band, and got your drive started. 

Much to your surprise, the traffic wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been. You took the freeway that would take you towards your hometown, which laid just outside of what would be considered San Diego County. The familiar roads all came back to you and you easily navigated your way to your parents’ place, pulling up along the curb and parking the car. 

You didn’t spend long at your parents’ house, not wanting to divulge in your personal life struggles for too long. You showed them the pictures you took while in New York, your mom making fun of you for looking so absolutely freezing cold. Your father blamed it on you being born and raised in the golden state, and you couldn’t help but agree. Your mom and dad sent you off with some homemade meals in tupper ware packed in an insulated lunchbox. After calling your mom “extra,” (much to her suburban mother confusion), you got back in your car to head to your next spot. 

The lunch destination was located in the area of Convoy, where all good Asian food in San Diego lived. You remembered making weekend drives to the restaurants in Convoy with classmates in your last year of high school, and the trip down memory lane was welcomed. You ate some hot pot in a small restaurant, which gave you some relief from the breeze that chilled your Californian skin, and made you feel like you were being hugged from the inside out. You stopped for some boba milk tea before continuing on your trip. 

By now, it was roughly three o’clock and your sights were set on Fiesta Island. It was a bit further away, but the small man-made island doubled as a dog park and you simply could not resist. You drove around the island to the parking lot, and once you parked you got out and took a deep breath, grinning as you could already see some happy dogs about to be let off their leashes. 

You entered the gate, making sure to close it behind you, then started your walk along the trail, phone out to take pictures of any dogs that were friendly enough to come say hello. A few of them came up to you begging for some head-scratching and pets, which you were more than happy to oblige the demand. The owners sheepishly apologized for their dog’s excited behavior, but you reassured them that it was more than alright. One dog came bounding over to you with a wet tennis ball in its mouth. While the sight of the drool-covered ball made you crinkle your nose, you couldn’t help but give in when the dog let out a whine that would force anyone to throw that ball. You threw it hard and the dog went chasing after it, its huge ears flopping around as it ran. The dog didn’t come back to you, instead bringing the ball to another person walking on the path around the island. 

As your walk around Fiesta Island came to a close, you found yourself on the fence about a very impulsive decision. Being at a dog park without a dog was nice and all, but seeing so many happy owners with even happier dogs… Well, the seed of an idea had been planted and was flourishing in your mind. By the time you got back in your car, your mind was made up on how to end your day. 

You punched in the Humane Society into the Maps app on your phone and set off to get a new best friend (sorry Suzy). When you got there, you were greeted by a friendly woman who took you on a quick walk around the kennels to see if any dogs caught your eye. Many of the dogs were big and loud, barking like crazy as you passed by. Your apartment landlord would have an absolute fit if you brought back a big dog, so you set your sights on finding a smaller dog. 

It wasn’t until you got to the end of the walk-around that you spotted a little black and white mutt in his bed. He saw you approach the gate of his kennel and raised his head, tilting it to the side with curiosity as the Humane Society employee spoke. 

“Oh, this little guy is a sweetheart, but he’s a fighter, too. He’s been through the ringer, this one. We found him on the side of the road and it looked like he’d been out there for a while. We’re pretty sure he was abandoned as a puppy and left to fend for himself. He’s such a lover, though, and he sunbathes like no one else!”

You were sold. The way his big brown eyes were looking up at you reminded you of a certain someone and, while you were still trying not to think about that whole situation, you had to admit that it was influencing this one. The employee was ecstatic to hear you decide on the dog and she brought you back inside to fill out the proper paperwork. You waited outside of the Humane Society’s office door as the employee got your new pet ready to go. As soon as they rounded the corner and the little guy spotted you again, his tail began to wag and he barked once at you, which made you laugh. You crouched down and he approached you, apprehensive at first as he sniffed you, then he went back to being excited and rolled over onto his back, stretching his paws towards you to beg for a belly rub (which you supplied immediately). You thanked the employee and she thanked you for adopting him, and then you brought him into the car. 

The dog sat in the passenger’s seat staring at you expectantly. You turned on the car and looked at him with furrowed brows. 

“Well, I’d better give you a name, huh? How about… Bosco?”

The dog simply stared back at you. 

“Rico?”

More staring. 

“Um… I dunno, geez. How about… Domino?”

A single bark, which was actually way louder now that you were inside of the car. However, you grinned toothily and reached over to pet him. 

“Alright, Domino it is! Well, now I gotta buy all of your stuff, don’t I?” 

Somehow, he knew exactly what you were talking about and his tail wagged excitedly. Perhaps he knew that you’d be a sucker and buy him four different kinds of treats, two beds, eight different kinds of toys, and a very cute water and food dish set. You also bought him a collar and got a tag etched out for him, and when you clipped it around his neck, you could have sworn you saw that dog smile. 

After sending a picture of your impulse decision named Domino to Arin, Suzy, and a few others at the office, you headed home. Domino slept in the back of the car on one of his new beds and you kept your music low so as to not bother him. 

From your dashboard where your phone was connected to the holder, you saw a text notification from Dan. 

[From Dan: Hey, we should talk. Coffee tomorrow?]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you guys tell i live in california lol. i wrote this chapter instead of an essay.   
> make sure to leave a kudos/comment and bookmark! I'm really encouraged by them, and thank you for reading!


	17. Coffee and Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long-awaited conversation with Danny about the Soul Marks.

[From Dan: Hey, we should talk. Coffee tomorrow?] 

The text message notification disappeared just as quickly as it had come up on your phone and you bit your bottom lip as you drove home, unsure of whether or not you should agree with his request. It was true that the two of you had plenty to talk about, all of it being very important business, but a part of you was still remembering the look on his face when he had found out. 

You arrived home and managed to bring most of the supplies inside of your apartment in one trip, deciding to leave the rest to get in the morning. Domino was more than happy to settle in for the night on his bed, which you placed at the foot of your bed. While he had retired for the night, you spent an hour dedicating a shelf in the kitchen pantry to the dog’s treats and food. You set up the food and water dishes, and then put the toys into a basket you formerly had no use for (a gift from the farmers market from your mother, which had been sitting idly in your closet for quite some time). 

Once everything had been settled and you finally changed into pajamas and crawled into bed, you grabbed your phone and opened up the text message from Dan. It was nearly one in the morning and Domino slept peacefully in his bed as you sighed, eyes reading over his text message a few more times. Finally, after some contemplation, you typed out a reply.

[To Dan: Hey, sorry. I’ve been out of town all day visiting my parents. Yeah, coffee sounds good. Let’s go to the one near the office.]

You mostly chose that particular coffee shop because they had patio seating and allowed dogs, and you were sure that Domino would be pissed if you left him home on the first full day of his new life. You had only just sent the text when your phone vibrated in your hand and you looked at the new text. 

[From Dan: Alright. I know exactly which one you’re talking about. See you at 10?]

[To Dan: Sounds good. See you then. Goodnight.]

[From Dan: Goodnight]

You let out a sigh of relief and exhaustion and set your phone on the bedside table, making sure it was plugged in and you had an alarm set. Once all of that was done, you curled up under your covers and let the exhausting day’s labor pull your tired body into slumber. 

The next morning…

You had, much to your disappointment and frustration, woken up just five minutes before your alarm was set to go off. You abstained from making yourself a coffee, since you’d be getting some later that morning and instead spent your morning taking Domino out for a walk around the apartment complex and making sure he got used to walking on the leash with you. He was an attentive dog, more than willing to look up at you and await your praise by following commands. It absolutely melted your heart every time he tilted his head when he was confused by your words, but he eventually got the hang of it and learned that he should stick by your side when out on the leash. 

You and Domino got into the car and headed for the coffee shop, and it wasn’t until you had parked that your heart began to race with the coming confrontation and conversation. You were the first one there, so you took a seat on the patio, Domino lazily laying down underneath the table. A barista came out and took your order, much to your appreciation, and they complimented Domino’s good behavior, which probably made you more proud than it did Domino. 

“Hey,” a familiar voice called as Dan entered the patio with an awkward wave. Domino stood up, tail wagging at the possibility of making a new friend, and Danny looked at the dog with wide eyes. “Woah, you got a dog!”

“Hey, yeah.” You chuckled and shrugged your shoulders. “Impulse decision yesterday, actually. His name is Domino.”

“Cool name. You already order?”

“Yeah, the barista came out and got it.”

“Cool. I’m gonna head inside and order. Be right back.” 

You nodded and he disappeared through the coffee shop’s door, and it was only once he was out of sight did you realize that the conversation had gone… completely naturally. It struck you as odd, but you didn’t have the chance to dwell on it before Danny came back out and sat in the seat across from you. 

“So, you went to see your parents?” Danny sat back in his seat, the metal chair creaking slightly. “How was that?”

“It was nice. I hadn’t seen them since I moved out here, so they were excited to see me.” 

“That’s cool. It’s been a little while since I’ve seen my folks. I should probably do that, heh.” Danny chuckled and you can’t help but laugh a bit along with him. However, there’s a tenseness in his shoulders that you can’t ignore, and the tired expression he wore was barely covered by the smile he was wearing. 

“Danny,” you start, but you’re interrupted by the barista coming outside to drop off your drinks. You reach for your purse, but the barista smiles and waves their hand dismissively. 

“Oh, don’t worry about it. He paid for your drink.” The barista left the patio to go back inside and you shoot Danny a look, to which he responded by raising his hands in front of him in casual defense. 

“Sorry, couldn’t help myself.” 

You roll your eyes, but pick up where you left off, shifting in your seat. “Danny, you said that you wanted to talk, so let’s talk.” You hold onto your coffee cup, a nice design of a leaf in the foam aesthetically pleasing. It was another reason you liked this coffee shop. “I’m going to assume this has to do with the whole… Soul Marks thing.”

“Yeah, you guessed right.” Danny looked visibly awkward and uncomfortable with the sudden shift to such a serious discussion. He crossed one leg over the other, the tea he ordered still too hot as evident by the steam rolling off of it. Dan sighed and ran a hand through his unruly hair. “I dunno, I guess I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since the trip. I gotta say,” He paused, looking up at you with apologetic brown eyes. “I definitely could have handled finding out a lot better than I did. I was an asshole. I should have said something.” By now, Dan’s expression was full of remorse and he rubbed his forehead in frustration. “I should have done a lot of things, but I most definitely should have at least fucking said something.” 

“Dan, it’s okay--”

“No, it’s not, [Name]. This is something super important and I feel like I totally let you down and gave you the wrong idea. I mean, sure, I was pissed that you had never said anything about it before, but then I thought about it more and more and I realized that you never would have!” Dan huffed and leaned back in his seat again, throwing his hands up with exasperation. “I was always dating other chicks and talking about how much the Soul Mark didn’t mean to me! I freakin’ asked you for advice about dating other girls, for Christ’s sake!” 

“Dan,” you speak up, this time holding up a hand to tell him to pause his ranting for a moment while you spoke. “I don’t hold any anger towards you for that. I was being a good friend, which is what I would have done with or without the Mark, okay?” You paused to search for understanding in his eyes, and once you saw it you continued. “I should have said something the moment I found out, but I panicked and I ended up keeping my mouth shut for too long. It’s really my fault, honestly…”

“No way!” Danny exclaimed, his eyebrows raised in surprise at your words. “If I were in your shoes, I would have probably done the same thing!” He sighed and folded his arms across his chest, brown eyes focused on his tea. “I… When I saw the Soul Mark that day, I think I was just… In shock? Yeah, that’s what it was. There were a lot of emotions going through my brain, and I couldn’t sort it out in time to tell you to stop, and then you were already out the door.” He shifted in his seat, looking to the side now. “And then you wouldn’t talk to me, or look at me, and then you stopped coming to work… I dunno, I guess I got stuck in my own head and thought you wanted nothing to do with me.” 

“Danny…” Your voice is soft and quiet, loud enough for only him to hear. “I could never feel that way. You’re one of my closest friends.”

A small smile came to Dan’s lips, though he still didn’t raise his gaze to meet your own. “Thanks. I really appreciate hearing that. It… It means a lot to me.” 

“Good, because you mean a lot to me.” The words escaped you before you could swallow them back down and you felt your face burn with embarrassment. Dan raised his head to finally look at you, his expression softening. 

“Really?”

“Really. Honestly, Dan, you think I wouldn’t care about my soulmate?” You chuckled and Danny shook his head, but laughed a bit too. 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I shouldn’t have expected anything else, but you know me… I guess I got a little to wrapped up in thinking about the worst case scenario. I mean, you did go off the freakin’ radar.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.” It was your turn to look down at your cup sheepishly. “I guess I had thought the same thing… When you didn’t say anything that day, I don’t know why but I just assumed it was because you were… disappointed.” You sighed, your shoulders slumping as you remembered how you’d felt. “I holed myself up at home and didn’t really take care of myself, which I know is bad. Suzy came by and encouraged me to do something for myself to cheer myself up. She knows about everything, by the way. She has for a while…” You looked up at Dan to see that he was looking a bit betrayed and you quickly jumped to your own defense. “Hey, who was I supposed to tell if I wasn’t going to tell you? I had to tell somebody.”

“Fair enough, fair enough…”

“Anyways,” You looked back down at your cup, rubbing your thumb over the edge of it. “That’s why I was gone yesterday. I went and did a bunch of stuff back in San Diego, and it was really great. And then I got Domino,” You looked down at the mentioned dog, who looked up at you, his tail thumping against the ground a couple of times. “And I dunno, I guess I just felt like I needed someone to rely on me and distract me. Plus, I’ve always wanted a dog.” You laughed and Dan smiled at you. “And then I got your text, and I got pretty nervous, not gonna lie. But, I knew it was something that needed to happen, so…” 

The conversation fell silent for a bit, the two of you sitting at that table without speaking and simply letting the words already said linger in the air. It was Danny who finally broke the silence, apprehension clear in his features. 

“Well, I guess the only thing now is… to ask how you feel? About being my Soulmate, I mean.”

“If you don’t mind, I kind of want to hear what you think first…”

“I guess that makes sense.” Dan cleared his throat and sat up straight. “I’m gonna tell you now that I’m not the best with making these kind of like, declarations or whatever, so don’t make fun of me if I say anything super fucking corny, alright?” He waited for you to nod before continuing, his cheeks turning a bit pink. “I was so happy to find out that you were my Soulmate, [Name]. I mean, of all the freakin’ people in the world, I got the nicest, most dedicated, most amazing and awesome person to ever walk the fucking Earth as my Soulmate. But, I also realized that I didn’t show or tell you any of that when I found out. You said you felt like I was disappointed, but I wanna tell you right now that I could never be disappointed with finding out that you’re my Soulmate, [Name]. I don’t want you to ever doubt that. I… I really fucking like you. I feel like my life got better when we first met, and it’s only kept on getting better with you in it. When I thought I was gonna lose you, I was tearing myself up. So, I guess I just want to make sure that… you’re okay with me being your Soulmate, too. If you’re not, we can totally just be friends and--”

“Danny,” you interrupted him and he looked at you wide-eyed. “Shut up.” He nodded and you continued speaking. “I’m happy to be your Soulmate, too.” You smiled at him and Dan’s shoulders immediately relax, built up stress being extinguished in an instant. “When I found out, I didn’t really know you at all. But the more that I got to know you, the luckier and luckier I felt. I mean, I was totally willing to just… be your friend and let you live out your love life the way you wanted. Then, we got to New York and we kissed and…” Your cheeks turned red at the memory of the events leading up to the accidental reveal. “And I just… I was so happy to be able to be with you, and to finally feel like you had your attention on me. But then things kind of blew up in our faces.” You sighed and tucked some hair behind your ear to try and distract yourself from becoming upset about it again. “A-Anyways, I guess what I’m saying is that… I really like you, too. I’m more than okay with being your Soulmate, Danny. I’ve always been more than okay with it, and I’m honestly glad that you’re okay with it, too.”

“So then… we’re both in agreement here.”

“It would seem so.”

Again, the air between the two of you was silent, but it was much more contented that the first time. You both drank your beverages in silence, enjoying them and one another’s company for a bit before you decided to speak up. 

“So, what does that make us?” you ask as you set your cup down on the saucer it came with.

“What, like are we dating?”

“Mhmm.”

“Well, I mean, I think we’re kinda past that part, don’t you think?”

You laughed and nodded your head. “Yeah, I guess so. Then, what?”

“I mean, if you’re not opposed, we can definitely be boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“I think that sounds just right.” 

“Then it’s settled. You’re my girlfriend.”

“And you’re my boyfriend.”

“...”

“...”

“Cool.”

“Very.”

The two of you suddenly realized how awkward the atmosphere had become and quickly burst out into laughter, all of the anxiety the two of you had been accumulating over the ordeal finally releasing in the form of uncontrollable giggling. Once the two of you settled down, you sighed contentedly and reached your hand out on the table, gesturing to Danny with it. He seemed to get the hint after a second and he reached over to hold your hand in his own, a soft, affectionate smile on his lips. 

“I’m glad that we talked, Danny. I’m happy… Really happy, actually.”

“Good. I’m happy too, [Name].”

Danny ran his thumb over the back of your hand and you exhaled softly through your nose, the feeling of it more pleasant than you could have imagined it to be. For a bit more, the two of you sat at the patio table with your drinks, catching up on events that took place during your time apart well past the emptying of your cups. When you and Dan finally got up to leave, you suddenly remembered Domino being with you and you looked down at the dog, who looked up at you expectantly. 

“I guess I should go home and let this guy keep getting used to his new home…”

Danny walked with you to your car, where you let Domino get in and then turn to Dan to say goodbye. The two of you looked at one another for a moment, the both of you wondering if it was the right thing to do before deciding that it was definitely the right thing to do. Dan leaned down and you stood up on your toes to meet him halfway. He pressed his lips to yours, one of his hands resting gently on your waist. You reached up to hold his cheek in your hand tenderly, the kiss soft and sweet. When the two of you parted, you felt as though you were walking on clouds. 

“I’ll see you later, then.” Dan said as he stood up straight with a goofy smile, his own elation written all over his face. “Text me when you get home.”

“I will. You too, okay?”

“You got it.”

With a final wave, you got into your car and Dan stayed on the sidewalk as you left, waving to you as you drove away. Even as Dan disappeared in your rear view mirror, you still felt as though you were floating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, guys, and for being so patient with me with this. I'm off of school for the summer, so I might be able to finish this soon with the way it's progressing. Probably only a chapter or two left! I've really enjoyed writing this and getting your guys' comments, so thank you so much for the support. It really means a lot to me. 
> 
> Anyways, I made this chapter pretty long to make up for the long wait you guys had to endure. I hope it was worth it!


	18. Author's Note

Hi everyone! 

Thank you so much for enjoying and reading this. I've always wanted to write my own, and I can finally say that I did! You guys have been great, those of you who always commented and had kind things to say. 

I've decided to end the story where it's at, since there's enough resolution in my book to call it done. Plus, I just don't really have the motivation to continue this any further. Again, thank you so much for reading this. It's been a fun project for me. 

And for anyone who is reading through this all at once and finally reached the end, thank you, too, for reading!


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